Fate or Fortune
by Tempest Kiro
Summary: Detective Shirogane is called to investigate a mystery reminiscent of a case that should have been laid to rest. A mystery entwined with a memory she had long since left behind.
1. Fool: Destiny or Chance?

Fate or Fortune

Fool: Destiny or Chance?

_Grave decisions pave the path beyond,_

_Lament the past that fate abscond._

**Monday, March 20****th**** 2017**

**San Diego; USA**

The rain's heavy patter against the tall pane glass hums its monotony through the airport arrival bay, all but lost in the loud bustle of excited travellers disembarking into a foreign land. It had been an eleven hour flight from Tokyo airport to San Diego, stiff legs and backs were to be expected, yet it did nothing to pacify the crowd. Most were Japanese tourists, arriving in California in anticipation of its fine weather and long stretches of sparkling beaches. Though looking out the window you could swear the travel brochures were being mendacious. Despite that the travellers seemed not off-put, hurrying to the luggage terminal with cameras in hand, already documenting the holiday.

This was where the crowd segregated, those on holidays off to pick up their over-packed luggage, and those who obviously come for business, arriving with only the essentials packed into a carry-on luggage. Among this smart-dressed crowd walked an individual that stood out, not just because of her dress sense, but for the fact that despite her miniature size she commanded an air of great authority. Her thick sweeping leather coat draped around her thin shoulders hung snugly over the top of a heavy wool coat, contrasting greatly with the suits and ties of those around her.

Detective Naoto Shirogane strode out into the visitor's terminal, away from the crowds gathering by the luggage belt and immediately the small crowd around her began to dissolve.

People who arrive for business usually have a clear idea of where they were going, most headed for the taxi-bay, while some greeted colleagues in the terminal. Naoto was supposed to be part of the latter crowd. She stood to the side, out of the way of the bustling thoroughfare as some of the tourists started trickling out as well.

The young detective was promised an escort from the precinct to pick her up but was never informed of the details of the individual, though considering the urgency of the request she assumed whomever it was that was supposed to receive her would be well informed of her appearance. Her uniquely fashionable newsboy cap was a dead giveaway, it was practically her trademark.

Naoto checked her watch, a dark coloured piece of digital hardware that stood in contrast to her classy semi-Victorian period outfit. Unlike most travellers she had set her watch beforehand. A detective always keeps ahead of the game at all times. Be proactive, not reactive.

With slight annoyance she noted her arrival was later than was stated on the travel schedule, yet despite that her company had not seemed to have arrived yet. Unpunctuality was no way to make first impressions, especially not to a Japanese national.

Getting impatient Naoto scanned the shifting crowds, not entirely sure who she was expecting. She spotted a couple of uniformed individuals walk by, with a massive dog on a leash. They were likely just airport security, searching for drugs, or bombs or toe-nail clippers...goodness knows what else Americans were stirred up about.

Five more minutes, that's all she'll give before calling into the department and requesting another driver be sent down for her. Almost like an answer to her thoughts a booming shout rang down the parlour.

"Detective Shirogane?" yelled an indiscrete voice, instantly drawing the unwanted attention of everyone in the vicinity.

Naoto bristled with irritation as she turned to greet the source of the commotion.

A Caucasian man looking to be in his early to mid thirties with light brown hair, tussled in a way that made Naoto think he didn't brush it, waved her down with appalling enthusiasm. In his hand he held an extremely large bag over a box of which contents were undiscernible. Upon his approach Naoto realised the full measure of his size, though it wasn't so much that he was incredibly tall, but that she was noticeably short, even for a Japanese, so that she had to crane her neck up to look him in the eye. This didn't go unnoticed.

"Oh my..." He uttered voice trailing off, although he didn't finish putting his thought into words it was painted across his face as plain as day.

_You are not what I imagined you to be._

Not that Naoto would let something as irrelevant as another's views impact on her.

"Hello. Nice to meet you." She greeted him in a neutral professional tone. "I am Naoto Shirogane. You are?"

Snapping out of his stunned surprise the man fumbled with his words, dropping many 'um's and 'err's until he finally paused to take a deep breath. Naoto flinched visibly as he proceeded to introduce himself enthusiastically and loudly.

"My name is Nathan Evans! Umm Detective Nathan Evans! Detective as of last week... Nice to meet you! I hope to learn a lot from you!" He ended with an incredibly awkward bow that supposedly was originally mimicking that of a Japanese greeting but ending up looking more like a western curtsey.

The whole process probably looked incredibly awkward to an outsider, it certainly felt awkward to Naoto, to have this much larger, and possibly much older man greet her as thus in the middle of a public area, in a way completely inappropriate to the culture she was visiting, and to the one she left. She had to hand it to the man, to be able to make her so completely uncomfortable within minutes of meeting.

Upon snapping up straight, Nathan held out his equally large plastic bag to the small Japanese detective. "I thought this was the only proper way to welcome you to America!" It was only then as the bag turned did she read the label printed on the side.

_Krispy Kreme Doughnuts_.

Naoto's eyebrow twitched. Surely this man knew these sold in Japan as well, not that the clean-cut detective ever partook in them. Still it was impolite to refuse a gift, especially when it was offered so sincerely...

"Ah... Thank you." She tentatively accepted the massive box of confectionary she knew she was never going to be able to finish. However this seemed to have pleased the tall westerner as he stepped back with a large silly grin on his face, seemingly satisfied his gift was properly accepted.

"I sure hope you like original glaze! You won't believe the lines going on at the airport Krispy Kreme shop! I had to wait an hour in line!"

Naoto's eyebrows shot up. An hour in line? "Was this why you were late?" She questioned, with a little more sternness than she intended.

Nathan's face instantly fell. "Oh umm... Yeah... I'm sorry... See I saw your flight was gonna be delayed...and um..." His words trailed off into a mumble, in which the young detective only managed to pick up "fabled patience of the Japanese..."

Sighing inwardly the small detective waved it off. "It's fine. Let's go."

The apologetic American instantly perked up, interpreting it as forgiveness. He walked Naoto to his car, mostly in silence, yet excited energy radiated off him in a way the young detective felt as if she was being assaulted with a barrage of banter just by walking beside him.

Nathan procured an umbrella when they stepped out into the rain, holding it in a way to mostly shield her, despite the fact that she was the one wearing a waterproof coat and he was getting soaked.

Naoto realised with some chagrin that westerners were nothing like how visual representations have lead her to believe...

But honestly nothing could have prepared her for this...

* * *

><p>"Sooo... This your first time outside your country?"<p>

"No."

They had been driving in an amicable silence for a little under half an hour, but Naoto knew this couldn't last. She already anticipated question time would start.

"Then have you come to America before?"

"No."

"Then this must be a big first for you!" Nathan exclaimed, diving into an eager introduction of the city. "Usually San Diego has much more sun than this, but you came at a bad time, winter is not tourist season, but wait... its autumn now... winter is long this year... But that's not to say the city doesn't have its winter charms! Like SeaWorld! It's never too wet for SeaWorld! Or what about Legoland? Oh right don't forget you're legally obliged to tip for service around here! It's usually ten percent! Tourists never rememb-"

"Detective Evans. I am not here as a tourist." Naoto cut him off, in a neutral tone of voice.

"Oh, I know. Sorry." Nathan made an apologetic face. "I just thought since this was your first to America you'd use some time off to see the sights... I hear you Japanese are always amazed at the sheer size of our city."

"It's not the size of the city that amazes us." Naoto replied, eyes cast out to the side of the window watching the slight drizzle the storm had died down to pattering against the window. "It's how empty the streets are."

Nathan considered this for a moment, completely ignoring the cynical undertones of that remark and replied "That's because it's raining!"

An awkward silence settled between them, and stretched for a good minute before Nathan made another attempt at conversation.

"So umm, your name. Detective Shirogane..."

"Yes?"

"It's awfully long... Shi-ro-ga-ne... a good four syllables." He held up his fingers in emphasis.

Naoto sat in silence, wondering where the tall man was going with this.

"Is there any possibility for me to shorten it? Like Shiro or something?"

"No."

"Then how about I call you Detective Naoto?"

"No."

"Why not?"

"Because it is unprofessional." Naoto answered coldly.

Nathan flinched, but took it in his stride as he continued attempting to make conversation. "Ok Detective Shirogane it is... but if I were to talk to you off duty, would I be able to call you Naoto?"

Remembering that westerners did not have a first name intimacy rule the Japanese detective conceded that in America co-workers probably interacted as thus.

"I suppose so..." Naoto replied, then suddenly realised for Detective Evans to be asking her permission to use first name he must have had some semblance of cultural sensitivity training.

Not that it helped.

"Oh great, but it's still a tad long! Three Syllables! My name is just two. Mind if I call you Nao?"

"No."

"What about Naruto?"

"No!"

Then it dawned on her that he was probably joking, as she turned and saw a grin plastered all over his face.

"Hahaha. Sorry, I couldn't resist. I was holding that in since I saw your name. But Naoto. I like it...it...is a guy's name right?"

It was a baited question, asking not if the name was a male's, but if she was male. Naoto instantly stiffened, in all her years working guised as the opposite gender, nobody has ever suspected... Or at least never thrown it straight in her face.

"Naoto is male..." she ventured cautiously, unsure if this seemingly clumsy detective was actually just playing her, studying her with an eagle eye as he joked behind a mask of frivolity.

"Oh. Ooooh! Ok!" Nathan exclaimed. "'cause I thought it might have been like Jess or Alex sorts of English names, where it could be used for a guy or a girl. I mean, you can never tell with you Asian folks. Ah wait, sorry that was rude..." He immediately shut up upon feeling the intense glare coming from the passenger's seat and contented himself with driving the rest of the way in silence.

He knew the Japanese were an introverted lot, but he never imagined they could be so...introverted..

* * *

><p><em><strong>Beep<strong>_

Naoto jerked out of her abstraction. Nathan glanced once in her general direction before focusing his eyes back on the road.

"We're almost there... Was that a GPS?"

"No..."

Naoto looked at her watch in confusion. Above the bar that told her the time was a small sliver of a screen that usually displayed [OUT OF RANGE].

Except...

"Nineteen Meters...?" She muttered, not quite believing her eyes.

"What was that?" Nathan asked eyes glancing sideways and quickly back to the road.

"Nothing." She snappishly amended as she thrust her watch back up into her sleeve, watch already settling back to default distance.

He was in America, she knew, but America is a huge place and she didn't even know which state he moved to. What were the chances he'd be in San Diego?

...Let alone passing just nineteen meters away from her.

No, it was a mistake, an error in the hardware.

As if to prove to herself thus she let the watch peek from her sleeve once more, and as if it had never changed, it displayed 'out of range' once more.

Naoto let out a small sigh, she should have set the proximity indicator to silent, but she never seen the need to before.

Never had she expected to meet him again, or for the watch to malfunction for that matter.

The young detective sat in silence for the remainder of the ride, thoughts drifting darkly around memories of a buried past.

The car grinded to a sudden stop, wheels scraping the concrete bumper as Nathan parked the car fluidly into a spot in a parking lot.

Naoto wordlessly reached for the door handle, shaking her sleeve over the watch.

She would put these thoughts out of her mind; she had a job to do.

* * *

><p>"So you're Detective Shirogain?"<p>

If Naoto had thought Evans was a big man then she was not prepared for the size of the man standing in front of her. It wasn't so much that he was tall, but his sheer bulk spoke all too clearly of this man's fondness for 'Krispy Kreme's and other high fat confectionaries that America was all too famous for. This imposing mass coupled with his haughty disbelieving scowl radiating through an overly bushy moustache made him particularly warped out of proportion from Naoto's much de-elevated level.

"I believe its pronounced Shiroga-ne." Nathan interjected helpfully.

"Hello, nice to meet you. I am Naoto Shirogane." The Japanese detective greeted politely, tipping her hat. "I apologise for my English." A mere formality since there was nothing inherently wrong with her English.

"That's not the problem." The colossal man grunted, "What I want to know is how in the world are you twenty-one years old?"

It was a question Naoto anticipated, she was no longer a child true, but it didn't help the fact that since she masqueraded as a man she would always look and sound like a pre-teen. Before she could answer Nathan cut in.

"Come on Frank, he's Japanese, they're just simply smaller and cuter than the rest of the world."

What sort of reasoning was that?

Naoto glared at him in disbelief, fuelled by the fact that the larger man seemed to have accepted it as fact.

"Ah right... Well the Japanese around here are usually not so small, probably because they live the hearty American lifestyle."

Seeming satisfied with this he composed himself to formally welcome the young detective, who by this point was ready to accept the widely held belief of Americans. However, eager to just get on with the job Naoto did not argue the point.

"Well we sort of got off on the wrong foot. I am Frank Peterman, head detective on this case, off the clock you can call me Frank, or Peter, whichever you prefer." The large detective paused and shuffled through his papers he picked up from the desk behind him. "For now we will get you processed." He pulled out a small wad of sheets from the stack. "Here we are, I need you to take this to Mike two desks down, show him your ID and he'll take your prints and witness your sign in, while you're at it go to the cage down the hall and get your firearm registered. I'll speak to you after you're done."

The process took longer than expected. Naoto anticipated there would be certain amounts of paperwork involved in jobs abroad, and she saw the necessities of such precautions as most agents of the law would need, however what she objected to was for Nathan to accompany her and turn every meeting into a long-winded introduction. By the time she finished all the formalities it was already well past dark.

"Finally." Peterman grunted as Naoto approached his cubical alone, she had ditched Nathan somewhere by the water cooler to chat down some other one of his co-workers. Peterman turned around in his swivel chair, sagging dangerously under his weight. "I wanted to get home before I have to leave for work again."

Peterman picked up a thick beige folder on his desk and tipped it open, pulling out the case files and offering them. Naoto accepted and flicked through, brows knit in disbelief.

"You had sounded sceptical when we contacted you with the overview of this case, yet here you see the case files with your own eyes."

Naoto looked up, still frowning. "I don't see how this is possible... We caught the culprit." _As well as disabling the means to accomplish it... yet..._

"And yet the signature left is exactly identical to that case." Peterman concluded throwing down three photographs, each depicting a body hanging upside-down from various high points.

Naoto frowned as she reached for the first crime scene photograph.

The first victim had the look of a Caucasian man who seemed to be in his...twilight years? Naoto flicked through the case files again. The first victim, a university professor, age forty-three... Naoto grimaced, the age of Caucasian people tend to be hard to guess. He was suspended from a broadcasting tower.

The second photo was of a young Caucasian teenager, the case notes claimed he was hung from an antenna but the spokes had snapped off, the photo was of him sprawled across the roof.

The third photo depicted a man of African descent who appeared to be...younger than the professor, suspended in powerlines, in a very similar fashion to that of a victim in the original case.

There was no cause of death listed for any of the victims.

Naoto looked up, meeting the eye of the head detective and nodded grimly.

"I...cannot deny it." She paused, gathering her thoughts. "However the incidences that occurred in Inaba had occurred under very...mysterious circumstances..."

"That's an interesting way of saying that you never figured out how the murders were carried out." Peterman scoffed.

The young detective stiffened, she was practically the only investigator on the case with intimate knowledge of how the crimes occurred, yet she would never have been able to explain it.

In the Inaba reports Nametame's confessions, as well as Adachi's, was tacked in. Of course, no one would believe their claims of how they threw people into the Television. Even Naoto couldn't believe it when she first heard of it during a school camping trip where she had managed to integrate herself into the group that she believed, at that time, to be the prime suspects.

With a frown Naoto scanned the map of San Diego City, noting the spread of the murders. "I will tell you now," she paused, considering the best way to break it to the American Detective. "The murders in Inaba occurred in a very closed off and controlled environment...with very few inhabitants mobile inter-regionally. What you're dealing with here is on a much larger scale. Add in the fact that the method of murder is really touch and go and you have, excuse the cliché, a needle in a haystack."

Peterman grunted, "That's fine, I don't need you to get your hands dirty, I need you to brief my men on team about that case you worked on and provide insight. More specifically on one aspect. The involvement of our current suspect."

With slight surprise the young detective paused, then furrowed her brows. "I didn't realise you already had a suspect."

Peterman pulled out another sheet from his beige folder, this time a leaflet containing the information of a single individual.

"The suspect is a Japanese Ex-pat. His name is-."

Before she could stop herself Naoto uttered in a strangled voice.

"Souji Seta."

* * *

><p>AN: Check out the neat artworks Kharta has done for this fic, link in my profile.

A thank you to my Beta reader and video game reviewer Jahan. If anyone is into video games take a look at his reviews on the PALGN site. Needless to say he did the Persona 4 review.

Fanfic dedicated to Kharta. Happy birthday you hopeless fanboy!

Disclaimer: I do not own Persona. If I did Persona 5 will have been out already.


	2. Fortune: Hidden Blessing

Fate or Fortune

Fortune: Hidden Blessing

_Luck appears in unexpected ways,_

_Blessing hidden in a catacomb maze._

**Saturday, January 7****th**** 2012**

**Inaba; Japan**

A flurry of snow pounded against the misted windows, the wind howled ferociously, inside it died to a barely a muffled purr. Naoto laid her cheek against the warm soft-grained wood of the tabletop covering the Kotatsu draped frame, hiding her knees under the covers and hugging her body as close to the warmth as possible.

A warm pressure flickered across her soft chilled skin. Naoto eased her eyes slowly open as her hair was brushed softly by fingertips.

"You fell asleep already?" a soft voice whispered in her ear.

Naoto smiled eyes half-closed; in a murmur she replied "I'm not asleep. I'm enjoying the warmth."

A toned arm snaked its way around her waist.

"Senpai!"

Naoto sat up ramrod straight blushing furiously.

"Hmm?" The offender in question cocked a single ashen eyebrow in a cheeky smirk, his cheeks slightly flushed from the heat of his recent shower. "I thought you wanted warmth?"

"N-no...well yes... Uhh..." Naoto mumbled as she blushed furiously, tugging at the long sleeves of the jumper she wore. The apparel she was garbed in did not belong to her and were a few sizes too large, they hung off her slender frame like a poncho.

They had been on the way from school, headed to Souji's home in the Dojima residence when the blizzard struck, soaking them thoroughly by the time they arrived.

Souji had pushed Naoto take the first shower, and selected her a warm outfit from his already limited stockpile. She had warmed up and dressed as quickly as possible to free up the bathroom for Souji, who grimaced with a slight hint of disappointment as the slender girl squeezed past him out into the hallway. She ended up hanging her uniform by the radiator in the living room and dove under the Kotatsu as she waited for them to dry. However slowly but surely the bitter cold sapped the warmth from the exposed parts of her body and seeped through even the thick wool of her borrowed jumper.

She hadn't even realised she drifted off until Souji woke her up, the same way he did last time...

Naoto blushed again, realising where her thoughts were heading.

"What are you so embarrassed about?" Souji asked grinning. He reached over and pulled her closer, watching with amusement as her face grew redder than could be explained by his body heat alone.

"S-stop! W-what if Nanako-Chan comes in?" Naoto blurted out. She had briefly wondered where Nanako was, the Seven-year-old was usually home by this time and parked directly in front of the television.

"Hmm?" With a hint of cheek the young man pretended to actually consider the answer. "Oh right! Uncle is taking her to the hospital for a check up today. They won't be home till late."

"O-Oh..." Naoto slowly acknowledged then it suddenly dawned on her that this could be why Souji had suggested she come over when he met her in the hallway midmorning on this chilly half-day of school.

It had been a fortnight since Christmas, and they hardly had any time to spend with each other since then. Naoto had professed her wish for their relationship to be kept from the others, partly because she had no wish to be the featured hot topic of the town, partly because of how awkward it'd make their group's friendship dynamics.

However with the Dojimas finally back from the hospital, Souji had a certain amount of responsibility to return home early to keep an eye on Nanako, meaning they had literally no time for just them.

Until today.

Naoto gulped.

Sure she had spent plenty of afternoons with Souji; most of them were spent with just the two of them in this very house, alone. Yet...

That was before Christmas.

Now she had no idea where their relationship stood.

"Why so red?" Souji asked as he brushed the back of his fingers down the side of her cheek. "You're feeling awfully warm...do you have a fever?" His smirk gave him away; he knew exactly why she was radiating a blush and seemed to be enjoying it. The blushing girl glared back at him, unable to shake her fluster, then eyes widened in surprise as Souji leant in. His warm lips softly brushing against hers, pausing just at the threshold, feeling the slight quiver of anticipation. Teasing her.

Naoto's trembling fingers gripped his shirt tightly as she squeezed her eyes shut.

She leant in, closing the gap between them, pressing her lips against his.

This time Souji was the one taken by surprise, he had not expected her to take the initiative.

As they parted Naoto's face was flush with excitement bearing a stubborn frown. Eyebrow cocked in amusement, Souji ran a finger across his lower lip.

"Your lips are cold Naoto..." He paused, mischievous smile creeping onto his face.

He leant closer and Naoto stubbornly held her ground. He took her hand in his and cupped it to his cheek. "Your hands are cold too."

"I-it's cold outside the Kotatsu." She replied, finally looking away out of shyness.

"I suppose it was only really designed to keep your legs warm..." Souji pretended to muse before casually asking, "how about we go upstairs, the blankets can keep both of us warm."

"H-huh?" Naoto started, she had not expected Souji to be so direct.

"You...don't want to?" He asked smirk disappearing, then set into an understanding smile. He wrapped his arms around her, holding her close. "Then this is warm enough."

"I didn't say no." Blushing crimson the shy girl tucked her face under his chin so that he couldn't see the look of embarrassment on her face.

Souji paused, yet again surprised, as confident as Naoto was usually, she was always self-conscious and reserved when she was alone with him. This was positively bold of her.

He drew his hand into her hair, running his fingers through the damp downy mess, noting mutely that the black digital watch he wore displayed 'less than a meter'.

Slowly he leant back, and gently tilted her head upwards. He fixed his gaze into her eyes, holding them there as he drew in closer and sealed her lips with his.

* * *

><p>The blizzard was in full fury when the front door was flung open admitting two individuals of great disparity in height. The taller one turned to force the door closed against the buffeting storm as the smaller one unwrapped the scarf bound around the lower half of her face where it attempted to buffer where her hood could not.<p>

"We're home big bro!" Nanako called as she peeled off the snow-covered jacket and turned to hang it in front of the radiator and paused, noticing a set of Yasogami uniform, much similar to Souji's, yet much smaller, covering the rack. At the same time Dojima shook out his overcoat and kicked his shoes off to the side, only to notice an extra pair of shoes there that didn't belong.

It was too big to be his daughter's and too small to be his nephew's, and seemed to have a rubber sole with twice the thickness of any shoe he's ever seen before.

The night before Dojima had informed Souji that he would be taking a day off work to bring Nanako to the hospital for their appointed check-up. It was expected to take all afternoon, however when they arrived they were informed that due to the sudden cold snap the hospital became inundated and was forced to reschedule their appointment.

He had expected his diligent nephew to take some well-deserved time to himself to spend with his friends, but of course because of the storm he'd probably been unlikely to have enjoyed himself at all. Instead it seemed he brought someone else back with him. By the design of the shoes the visitor was male, the size suggested someone fairly small, no taller than a hundred sixty centimetres by estimation.

But that was strange... he met all of Souji's friends, none of the boys were that small.

Wait...a minute...

Dojima finally caught sight of the clothes hanging by the radiator, more importantly a very distinctive hat.

"Oh hey welcome back Nanako-Chan... Uncle..." Souji greeted a little sheepishly by the stairwell, straightening his stance. The light polo shirt he wore looked much too thin for this weather.

On his arm he folded a few items of clothing, almost enough for two sets, as well as a length of bandage. His hand attempted to discretely slide off the pair of trousers hanging off his arm, as if he had just placed it there moments before.

"Hey Big Bro!" Nanako greeted back cheerfully, turning back after draping her sopping jacket on the armrest of the sofa. "We came back early because the hospital was busy!"

The oddly fidgety youth pulled an 'Oh I see' face, but Dojima noticed he didn't look too pleased.

Souji eyes darted to a woollen jumper dropped haphazardly near the living room table, but made no move to pick it up. He shuffled uncomfortably, as if about to bolt.

Dojima picked up the now-dry hat, using it to point at his nephew in an almost accusatory fashion.

A strange look crossed the young man's face which he tried to hide quickly as he hurried forward to take the distinct dark blue cap from his uncle's hand. He murmured something about "snow-storm" and "soaked" before hurrying upstairs.

Once in his room Souji closed the door and leant back against the frame with a sigh.

Naoto sat huddled in the blankets of his crooked futon, with one of his spare school shirts, a few sizes too large draped around her slender shoulders.

"They know you're here..." Souji confessed, walking forward, nearly tripping on his wallet dropped carelessly on the floor, and depositing the small pile of clothes before the barely-clad girl. He noted with muted amusement the first piece she reached for was her hat, jamming it on her head and pulling the rim down over her eyes, panic and embarrassment radiating from her very being. The combination of the hat and the long dangling white sleeves struck home a sense of Déjà vu.

"You look the spitting image of your cute little shadow." Souji joked, trying to lighten the awkward atmosphere. He was rewarded with a glower, and an expulsion from his own room. Naoto insisted she couldn't change with him staring at her. He found it both endearing and bizarre that she could still be embarrassed about where his eyes strayed at this point in time.

Upon stepping outside Souji walked straight into Dojima, he quickly snapped the door shut behind him causing his uncle regarded him suspiciously.

"I'm beginning to think that Shirogane's not just here because he got caught in the blizzard... What are you boys up to?"

Souji's apprehension evaporated in an instant, the moment he heard his uncle refer to Naoto as "boy". So there were still people in this town that didn't get the memo...

There wasn't much to be said about Souji's interpersonal skills, he wasn't overly talkative, instead his title of master conversationalist was earned due to the fact he seemed to possess innate ability to know the right response to every situation.

Yet sometimes...he couldn't help himself, his insight also gave him the ability to know exactly which buttons to push...for amusing results...which he often did, just to get a kick.

This was unfortunately one of these times.

"He's my boyfriend." Souji proclaimed bold as brass, mischievous grin plastered across his face.

Dojima didn't disappoint. Taken completely off-guard the frown on his face suddenly morphed, freezing into a comical combination of shock, disbelief and horror. Whatever the answer he expected, it wasn't that.

"Senpai!" The bedroom door was flung open with such force that it bounced against the adjacent wall, Naoto stood frozen in the door way, Souji's much-too-large clothes hanging from her frame, losing her figure among the folds, her face burning crimson.

"I- I'm not- That's not- I-" she stuttered, unable to pull together anything coherent.  
>"But isn't Naoto a girl?" came a voice drifting up the stairwell. Nanako, always so much more mature than her actual age of seven decreed, was all too often the only voice of reason.<p>

Dojima's shock slowly melted away as a blank expression replaced it. His eyes drifted over Naoto, his pupils scanned her up and down, taking in the unkempt nature of her hair and clothes.

Then he noticed the tell-tale red bite mark at the base of her neck.

The corner of his eye stuttered a twitch, and seeming unable to process his deduction he turned to trudge back downstairs without a word.

"Well that went better than I hoped." Souji said turning to Naoto with a grin, which melted off his face almost instantly.

She was furious.

He took a step back, holding his hands up defensively, casting around for words to handle the situation. And yet again he was outdone by his smart mouth.

"Look on the bright side! Now you have a story for the King's Game."

* * *

><p>AN: Sorry Souji, but you're so in the doghouse. Though you deserve it for being such a troll to your poor uncle! Nah I jest, I don't apologise at all, it's hard to feel sorry for a guy who's seen Naoto naked...

This chapter was short so it's coming out a week early. Otherwise my usual updates will be fortnightly.

Next update on the 10th of June, feel free to flame me if I miss it.

A thank you to my Beta reader and video game reviewer Jahan. If anyone is into video games take a look at his reviews on the PALGN site. Needless to say he did the Persona 4 review.

Disclaimer: I do not own the Persona series, if I did Naoto would have her own franchise.


	3. Emperor: To Chase a Memory

Fate or Fortune

Emperor: To Chase a Memory

_Mastery of self is the struggle of life,_

_Control begets a violent strife._

**Monday, March 20****th ****2017**

**San Diego; USA**

"Detective? Hey! You with me?"

Naoto snapped up still in shock, bringing her eyes around to meet the plump American detective, but could not wipe the expression from her face in time.

"Do you know our suspect?"

The young detective carefully rearranged her face into a mask of indifference, she paused to think before replying. "Yes, I know him." Peterman made to speak but Naoto stopped him with a gesture, and continued. "I know him because we are both from Inaba. In a town that size it's impossible to not know anybody. Added the fact we both attended the same school, it would have been a fragile untruth had I simply dismissed this coincidence."

The rotund detective's eyes narrowed. "I understand he was in your town for only a very brief period of time?"

Naoto slowly nodded in admission, knowing exactly where the question was heading, she beat him to the punch. "He did reside in Inaba only during the brief period of when the murders occurred. However he was cleared of all suspicion."

"And yet here he is, when the same shit happens here." Peterman scowled, his contempt of the police work done by the Inaba PD plain on his face.

Naoto realised all too clearly why she was the one to be contracted for the case, and not the actual head detective on the case, Ryotaro Dojima.

Conflict of interest...

"I am curious Detective Peterman." She ventured after a moment's hesitation. "How did you come to place him as a suspect? I understand his proximity with the original case played a part, but I'll assume you did not just proceed with just that."

Peterman grunted through his moustache in what Naoto took to be a dismissive no. "The suspect left his prints all over this case! All three victims can be traced to him."

Naoto hefted the victim profiles, rifling through the top one.

"So the university professor... his lecturer I assume?"

"Doctor Raymond Barton is his supervisor actually. The suspect's in his post-graduate years. Psychology."

Naoto couldn't help but grimace. Souji always had a way of working with people, figures he'd stick to his guns.

"Barton's body was discovered on the seventh of March, but was not seen since the day before when he entered his office in the morning. The suspect's only alibi for the death turned out to be a dud. His girlfriend denied he'd been to see her on the day of the disappearance and murder." Peterman paused as Naoto's seemingly calm shell imploded briefly, before being applied more insistently than before.

"Please, continue." She requested, voice tight.

The head detective's eye narrowed suspiciously, but continued regardless. "However we did not haul him in for questioning till the second death, we hadn't even suspected him until then."

Peterman opened his victim's profile and displayed the teenaged victim for the now silent Naoto to see.

"Robert Sanders, seventeen years old, a foster kid. Found over a week to the first murder, presented with the same MO, in other words, none at all. There was no apparent connection of the first vic' to the second. Except one testimony of the foster parents, who upon asked of anything unusual, mentioned seeing him, across the street from their home, arguing with the suspect less than a week before the first murder."

"How did they know it was him?" Naoto enquired, back in her professional stride.

"They claimed the man was a young Asian with white hair. I don't know about Japan but in America I'd say albino Asians are a sight in themselves."

Naoto considered this silently, this was circumstantial evidence at best. How could the witness claim with absolute certainty that the individual she saw was Asian? She'd have to spot the epicanthal folds from, what's the width of the road here? As printed on the report eleven feet... Comes to three meters...? In that case the witness' testimony could easily be dismissible on the basis of poor eyesight-

She halted her train of thoughts, realising with a spark of irritation that she already assumed innocence. A lawyer takes sides, an investigator is impartial. She cannot afford to have her judgement compromised by her pre-constructed beliefs on the suspect.

Not even for Souji...

"-quickly identified him from the list of the first victim's students that there was one that matched the description." Peterman continued, oblivious to Naoto's distraction. "We hauled him in for questioning. Results were inconclusive, the suspect was uncooperative. All we managed to establish was that he had no alibi for the murders. Even when we confronted him about eye witness accounts linking him to the second victim he didn't even stutter. The only reaction we got out of him was when we informed him that his alibi flopped, even then it was not the reaction we were after." The detective paused, heaving a frustrated sigh, likely reliving the moment. "Twenty four hours was all we managed with no evidence. We pulled every string we could, but he walked free." He heaved another sigh, this time the frustration was mingled with regret. "The third disappearance and murder happened almost immediately after."

"Todd Ramsey." Naoto read off the profile. "How did this victim relate to the suspect?"

Peterman scowled as he replied. "He was the original head detective."

A silence fell between them as the gravity of the situation pressed upon Naoto. If these murders occurred in a similar way to the Inaba ones, it would imply the culprit would have to have overpowered the victim and place them into the TV themselves. After the initial disappearance the suspect wouldn't even need an alibi as death occurred independently within the other world. However with that regard, how would they have been able to overpower a man who would have been armed and trained to handle aggression? It could be possible he was threatened by a firearm held by the assailant. But wait... didn't America have laws that permitted the carry of firearms by literally anyone? That wouldn't narrow the search down at all! Maybe she was assuming too much at once.

"Please share the details." Naoto requested, snapping shut the folder in her hand.

The portly detective shifted in his seat, causing it to creak in protest, however his sharp eyes stood in stark contrast to his ungainly appearance.

"Detective Sergeant Todd Ramsey was an upstanding member of the Force."Peterman growled "He was an excellent investigator, with an eye for details and a forward, backward knowledge of the law. Half of what we got was compiled by him. Hell he even linked the suspect to the related case in Japan."

Naoto realised belatedly that the cold manner in which she addressed the death of what would certainly had to have been an associate might have been tactless of her. She never got much better with the rules of social interactions. Although empathetic on the most part, she still could not fully grasp other people's emotional state. This often made interrogation slightly difficult as she would only ever be on the lookout for key words and tone and facial cues, but never be able to assess her subject by their emotional expressions unless expending extra effort to do so.

"My condolences... I know his loss must be difficult for everyone." Naoto amended, tipping her cap slightly in a gesture of respect. "I hope to assist in any way that I can."

"Humph." Peterman grunted dissatisfaction lost in translation. "Detective Ramsey clocked out, not long after the suspect's release, he never made it home. His wife made a call direct to the office asking if he's working late, but when she was told he left hours prior she raised the alarm. He never made it home." He paused, brow furrowing at the memory. "I was doing some overtime that night. I was the one to handle the call."

Naoto stood silently, understanding the distress the memory must have caused the Detective.

Peterman continued, regaining his composure, tone clipped. "The traffic division was then alerted to monitor for any reports of accidents that occurred along the route he usually took. I went door knocking at the Suspect's residence for the slight chance I could catch a clue that could lead to Ramsey, or break the case." He paused shaking his head with a grimace. "Hah, well that was wishful thinking. He wasn't even home. In fact he's not returned home since his release."

Naoto's gut did a flip, "Could he have possibly also fallen victim?" she asked, concern poorly masked in her voice.

Peterman scowled, irritated by the small detective's outward display of concern for the wrong individual. "I _highly_ doubt the suspect ended up the same way as Detective Ramsey. For one thing his body was never hung on display. Ramsey's was, first thing next morning, tangled in high powerlines in front of some residential apartments."

"But in a city this big, could there be a possibility that his body was not found, or was found but not reported?"

Peterman gave her a funny look, "You think this is New York? I can assure you if a body is hung off powerlines someone's going to notice, and chances are that someone is going to call it in, and if not the next someone will!"

Slight premature relief bubbled up behind Naoto's passive facade. "If that is the case, do you have any news of his whereabouts?"

"None at all." Peterman huffed, frustration plastered all over his face. "He damned well disappeared. Not seen on campus, not seen at home, not one withdrawal from his bank account, not even a damned shadow over the threshold of a corner shop. We have posters everywhere, but not a single call in was valid."

Naoto's brows creased, mind fluttering around the possibility, that if the previous conditions of the world within the television was restored, what were the chances that a persona user could survive alone inside?

...Since its Souji, it's possible...

"What progress have you made since?"

Peterman gave her a crooked smile. "We brought you here."

"And that's all?"

"That's all."

Naoto chewed her lip, realising if the case really was a replica of the one in Inaba, her insight would not prove the slightest bit helpful in aiding a conventional investigation.

"I understand." She said, after a few minutes. "Although I will have to ask to be given some lenience to utilise my methods in this investigation as well."

Peterman smirked bemused, "You wish to take the field? We brought you down here for your knowledge of the Japanese case. You won't be paid for your fieldwork."

"I understand. However it is my wish to contribute in any way that I can."

"Now I don't think you get the message. Here in America we do things by the book. We don't get outside help tangled in our work."

"I also do things 'by the book,' I will not interfere with your witnesses or evidence. Having firsthand knowledge of the original case I will have the advantage working this case as well. I will report all my proceedings and findings to you. Is that acceptable?"

Peterman scowled in disbelief, this little Japanese boy, fresh off the plane, with only the barest minimum knowledge of the current case at hand demanded he be let on the investigation team? Peterman glared, Naoto glared right back.

"What makes you think you would make a difference at all? You may have insight to an archived case, but that makes you good as an information source. You have no knowledge of this city! You have no knowledge of its people! You barely even know the details of this case! Do you even know how the law enforcers operate here in this state?"

Naoto grimaced. She had read many texts regarding police operations in various other first world countries as part of her degree in criminology. The one thing she remembered most starkly about the system in America was that the law was different in every state. She understood it would be difficult for her to investigate here. However...even so. She could not just sit back on this case.

Biting her lip Naoto scowled inwardly. She thought it was over that day... She didn't think she'd ever see him again... But here she was, staring down at another case like before, a mystery closely entwined with that man.

"Detective Peterman. I understand that you doubt my capabilities." Naoto said finally. "And at the same time I will admit limited knowledge of how the system operates in your country. However my failing is easily remedied by providing me with an escort that would know your proceedings where I would otherwise not. I believe a flexible look into the case is the only way to proceed from here as you have evidently exhausted all options available."

Peterman considered this dryly, slightly impressed that Naoto offered a solution instead of flaunting his previous success. What the young detective said was true; they were out of ideas in how to proceed. Their only lead disappeared, and even if they were to track him down again, the evidence as they are is nowhere near enough to press charges, and the public nature of the murders would not allow for such a result to stand. Acquittal by lack of evidence translates to the public as 'incompetent policing,' not to mention a slap to the face as one of their own being one of the victims.

He turned his eye to study the young man standing before him, noting his slender body and slight build. It was hard to imagine this could be a child past his teens, let alone in his early twenties. Just as incredulous was the fact that he obtained valid accreditation in crime investigation before he even got a degree, as well as a fair few very distinct case breakers to his name. Hard to believe someone could pass board for registration before even graduating high school... All this however, was accomplished within Japan. Even so, forensics methodology is pretty much a universal standard now. A valid registration was all that really stood between the Japanese Private Eye and the capacity to operate as a foreign specialist. Such a thing could be dealt with, albeit not easily, by amending the contract they had him sign as he entered. Lord knows they were understaffed, or at least lacked experienced manpower that could be shifted onto the case, and if this kid was willing to work without additional pay...

"If I swear you in, it would be my neck on the line." The detective growled, eyes set hard, speaking of his determination. "However if you can make a difference, any at all to this stalemate... Another contract will be made for you to sign tomorrow, as agreed upon you will be paid no extra." He paused and muttered off to the side, "I'll be damned if I let it slide without trying everything."

Naoto let out a pent up breath she was holding in anticipation for further argument, she was relieved that the head detective saw reason, yet surprisingly much sooner and with less assertion on her part than she anticipated. She had always believed the American police force, as heard from various second hand sources, was a severely domineering self-reliant organisation that shunned outside help. She wasn't entirely wrong, but realised now that an organisation doesn't necessarily represent the ideals of every individual within it.

Peterman quietly chewed his options before deciding. "Detective Evans shall be your escort."

The small detective did a double take, gut dropping at the mention of the name. "I mean no disrespect...but surely there are other people who can do the job just as well?" Anyone but him!

Peterman gave a shrewd smile, tinged with a hint of satisfaction. "Indeed there are, but they all have work to do. Nathan is a capable man; he has already demonstrated his knowledge and ability through passing the registration exams, he just lacks experience. As of now his use is limited, however his knowledge of the law and procedures should be more than adequate. He shouldn't go too wrong, who knows he might lose a bit green and learn something."

"If...that is the case..." Naoto sighed, tipping her cap in acceptance.

"Well then I'll call Detective Evans over with his new assignment, he ought to be still in the station waiting to take you to your hotel. I suggest you read up on your copy of the files as well as you can tonight."

Naoto nodded at the dismissal, recognising with a little chagrin that Peterman was instructing her like a newbie. No longer one to give into indignation Naoto instead just ventured one last question. "Detective Peterman, one more thing if I may. Does San Diego fog often?

Peterman glanced at her quizzically. "Pretty often. Why do you ask?"

"In the Inaba murder cases, each body appeared on a foggy day, I wished to know if it were the case with these victims also."

"No. The fog hasn't gone this inland. Not for a while."

Naoto tipped her cap, thanking the detective, then turned and left, the mystery turning about in her head.

* * *

><p>AN: I am an Australian, writing a story about America and Japan. Don't think the Irony is lost on me. If anybody spot any incorrect assertions about my portrayal of either countries please call me on it. I've actually never been abroad for long enough to learn anything and wouldn't know anything past what Wikipedia and Hollywood tells me.

A thank you to RiikiTikiTavi for pointing out the Marine Layer fog that persists in San Diego.

A thank you to my Beta reader and video game reviewer Jahan. If anyone is into video games take a look at his reviews on the PALGN site. Needless to say he did the Persona 4 review.

Disclaimer: I do not own Persona. If I did Mara would be censored... kidding kidding!

Next update, on the 24th of June:

Fortune: Frozen Moment

_Embrace the flow of the blessed day,_

_In passing fortune turns dismay._


	4. Fortune: Frozen Moment

Fate or Fortune

Fortune: Frozen Moment

_Embrace the flow of the blessed day,_

_In passing fortune turns dismay._

**Sunday, January 8****th**** 2012**

**Inaba; Japan**

Naoto froze before the coffee machine, face to face with Dojima. He glanced at her mutely, before turning and striding briskly away, coffee mug unfilled. Naoto grimaced as she poured coffee into her thermos, slowly shaking off the awkwardness of their brief meeting.

It had been barely a day since Dojima had...discovered her secret...both of them...at once. It might have been a bit much for him to handle.

Slowly she made her way back to her temporary desk tucked within the corner of the precinct, the same one allotted to her when she had been part of the investigation. Setting her thermos on a free space on her cluttered desktop she glanced back over her shoulder, spotting Dojima sheepishly returning to the coffee maker. Naoto's lips twisted into a grimace as she set her eyes back on the papers at her desk. However she thought about it, it must be incredibly awkward for Dojima as well, to know that his under aged nephew was dating his even more under aged co-worker. Especially since he had not even known his co-worker had been female until he practically stumbled upon them...

Naoto shook off her thoughts, it would not do to change colour in the middle of her work place.

Unscrewing the cap off her thermos Naoto took a sip of the scalding aromatic mixture, the harsh bitterness was not to her taste but she appreciated the warmth regardless, as well as the sense of alertness it gave her. Picking up her pen she began going through the list of cases marking them off the list and resorting them by date.

Since Japan abolished their Statute of Limitations, all unsolved cases involving death of a person ended up being archived in the criminal database. The hardcopies of such cases were stored in alphabetical order in the record rooms of the police departments that had originally handled them. Once full the record rooms would sort out files, starting with the oldest ones, and ship them to secure holding facilities in the larger cities. That was Naoto's job.

A private detective such as she would only be given access to records if a client contracts them into a criminal case, in which they would be working alongside the precinct. Since the closure of the Inaba serial murder case Naoto was no longer part of the police department's staff, and thus was no longer given access to the case records. However it was necessary for her to keep up with her criminology studies if she wished to keep her detective registration valid, which included tri-annual renewals involving further testing of base knowledge. She needed access to case records, both historical and recent, to further study methodology, techniques and reasoning. But because she was stuck in Inaba until graduation and the closest university with a decent criminology department was hours away Naoto had to take a part time job with the precinct, coming in once a week to sort out their archives to be able to get any access at all.

The alternative was for her to return home to the Shirogane estate and finish her education homeschooled like before. Her family had easy relations with several universities and the local police department, so she was never left for want. However, time among the friends she made in Inaba made the prospect of returning to that isolated way of life tie knots in her stomach. She gritted her teeth, she chose to stay here, she'll bear with circumstances.

Naoto leant back with a sigh; she had just finished sorting through all the names under 'De', none of the records held anything she hadn't come across before. The problem with Inaba PD's record was that in such a small town, coupled with Japanese Code Law pushing for a conviction for the accused in a manner as to guilty until proven innocent, unsolved cases was relatively few. In just a handful of Sundays she was able to sort through over half their files on hand.

Naoto took a long draught of the now lukewarm coffee, cringing slightly at its strength and bitterness, before gathering up the finished folders. On the way to the file room, she dropped off the inventory sheet with the archives officer, a lady in her mid-forties also acting as the young detective's current overseer.

"My you're a hard worker." The lady smiled kindly as she took the form, and then offered her a Jellybean from a jar on the desk. Naoto refused for the up tenth time, standing with her hand on hip trying to suppress her annoyed expression. Every time she interacted with this lady she always insisted offering her candies and treats from her seemingly overflowing bounty. It was a kind gesture but slightly insulting.

"I'll just get the door shall I?" the lady officer got up from the desk procuring the key to the door set on the side of the room. Although the woman liked to constantly baby her, it did not reflect so in her work ethics. Most outsiders would require an escort within the evidence record room, accreditation or no. As Naoto stood alone in front of the shelf that held the 'Da' to 'Ni' section, she relished at the special treatment she was getting. It was as good as a formal acknowledgement of her contributions, better even. What are words compared to something tangible?

After carefully replacing the 'De' files in order back in their rightful place, Naoto began removing files from the 'Do' section, mutely noting that it was much thicker than the one before. She would take more than one round to carry them all to her desk, and more than the rest of the day to sort through them all. The logical conclusion would be to calculate the maximum she could handle in the given time by averaging her current work efficiency and applying said value to current remaining time, and then leave the rest for the next week.

Satisfied that she got her time plan mapped out Naoto counted six folders carefully, stacking them in her arms, then exited the records room, careful to tug close the door until the point she heard a click. She picked up another inventory sheet from the archives officer and headed back to her desk.

As she set the files down, her sharp eyes noticed that one of the folders had a well thumbed spine, worn smooth by repeated removals. Curiously she slipped the folder from the stack, turning it to the front label.

Her eyes widened as she read the victim's name.

_**Dojima Chisato**_

Naoto hesitated, glancing quickly over her shoulder, feeling guilty for even having the file.

She bit her lip as she flipped open the cover.

'**Young Mother Killed in Horrific Hit-and-Run.**'

The headlines of a two years old news article blared at her. Naoto did not read any further, opting to instead set the article aside to look at the evidence report and crime scene photographs. She mutely noted the edge of the documents held within the folder were tattered and yellowing, residual from oily transfer from skin, most abundant in contact trace from fingers, suggesting frequent handling. This case, despite being over two years old, appeared to have had frequent attention, yet according to the evidence log not a single update for over a year.

Naoto carefully turned the pages, reading the list of evidence claimed. Shards of shattered clear single paned glass, likely from the headlights, Tire track pattern print matched to a brand of wheels not commonly distributed in Japan. Security footage from Moel gas station shown a white Suzuki Sedan with dark tinted windows. No clear shot of the number plate was taken. A brief but distinct shot showed the steering wheel was on the left side of the car, only observable during the time the window was rolled down and the gas attendant stepped out of the way. A photo still of the security footage was tacked to the back of the report.

_An American or Chinese car maybe?_ Cars from continental countries most commonly had steering wheels set on that side. Europeans have their own brands, and would likely not favour the Japanese brand. Naoto silently pondered, and upon reading further she realised it was listed as one of the deductions the investigator came to.

The suspect's face was not clearly captured by the camera as the attendant stood in the view of the shot for most of the transaction, when the attendant finally left the screen, the driver turned around the other way, so the back of his head was present to the camera, showing a trimmed cut of short black hair before the attendant returned with what looked like the receipt.

Naoto briefly wondered why the attendant's testimony wasn't listed on the evidence stencil before reading on and realising the attendant was actually denied by the owners of Moel as being part of their employee list and never seen again. The detective digesting this very strange piece of information. Even if the imposter was some prankster, in a town this size he would have been very easily identified and located, yet he wasn't... Which begs the question why would anyone from out of town go to all the trouble of impersonating a gas station attendant?

Naoto rubbed her temples, willing herself to not just jump up and run directly to the gas station and shake down the man behind the counter. This was a case from two years ago; if the individuals involved were not found then, very little chance they would be found now. Besides, all the options available would have probably been thoroughly combed by Dojima by now. The man's tenacity was something Naoto greatly admired and regarded as the true case breaker to the Inaba murders.

Naoto sighed, feeling heaviness weigh down within her heart. She proceeded to turn the next page, realising that she had already reached the witness testimony part of the report. A fairly thin stack of individually filled out police reports detailing witness claims was stapled together. The only useful information was summarised and jotted down in a separate report, which was then stapled to the front. Naoto skimmed to the summary page, noting that the one thing the witnesses claimed in common that the car involved was an eye-catching sleek white car with windows tinted so dark they could not see the occupant. Well that explained why the police jumped on the footage of the white Sedan in the gas station. Not much else was of note in the witness reports, except about the seemingly contradictory way some of the witnesses describing how the hit and run occurred. With several claiming the victim had stepped out to a clear road only to have the Sedan to suddenly turn into the street, others claimed that she had almost made it fully across the road before the car appeared turning to the wrong side of the road. The evidence pointed to the latter being correct giving further credence to the notion the perpetrator was a foreigner.

Naoto turned the witness reports over to read the autopsy report, nothing much worth noting about cause of death since it was quite obvious. Heavy bruising on and around the knees, one of which was of the bloody imprint of a inverse Suzuki logo upon the bruised skin, likely driven in upon impact with the grill, broken bones, cuts and abrasions, and severe internal injuries, died on the scene.

The only thing left in folder was the evidence compiled over the course of the months that followed the initial investigation. Notes of the witness requests for the white Sedan the police put out in local media broadcasts and police alerts in towns further up the only highway to run through Inaba, as well as other towns within a fan spread of that general direction. A list of all the garages and places with the capacity for car repairs in the general area questioned and crossed off the list. Even the shipping manifest for large transoceanic exports was searched through but it appeared that some of the shipping documentation was mishandled or purposely tampered with.

The trail stopped cold.

Naoto looked up from the folder, sadly contemplating what she learnt. The reason why Nanako matured so quickly, the reason why she was always alone, why she had no mother...

Naoto closed her eyes and took a deep breath, willing her emotions to stay in control. It would not do to break down in tears in the middle of her workplace.

In a bid to distract herself Naoto glanced at her watch, jumping with a start at the time. In a flurry she plunged back into her work, willing away the case from the forefront of her mind.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Beep<strong>_

Naoto paused mid-step in her decent down the snow covered steps from the precinct. She brought the watch out from her thick sleaves to her eyes, observing the distance ticking down from the twenties.

"You're off late."

Her eyes snapped up in surprise as Souji stepped out before the bottom of the whitened stairs.

"Senpai? What are you doing here?" She exclaimed looking over her shoulder in alarm to make sure nobody was watching from the door.

"I'm here to pick you up." Souji answered unabashedly, "I'm inviting you over for dinner." The invitation's status of pending acceptance did not seem to strike a chord of uncertainty with him at all.

"Here?" Naoto squeaked, still glancing around in alarm before rushing down and pushing Souji away from the stairs and further down the street.

"Still shy about what others might think?" The bemused teen asked as he allowed himself to be pushed along by his self-conscious lover. They paused up the street, a good distance away for people to assume this was a coincidental meeting of friends, rather than the fair haired young man going out of his way to wait for the other out in the freezing cold.

"Senpai please don't make this difficult for me. Having Dojima-san find out already made it terribly awkward." Naoto huffed flustered.

Souji looked slightly hurt, but gave her an understanding smile regardless. "Are you actually embarrassed about what they might think?"

Naoto looked away, a little ashamed, feeling almost like all the growth she experienced since facing her shadow was wasted in one moment. "I-it's not because I'm embarrassed about you...about us, but I have my reputation to think about." She paused trying to find words to describe her worries, finding eloquence eluded her when she needed it most. "Among my co-workers, the rumour that I am female is but still a rumour. Added the fact that I'm seeing you, the nephew of Detective Dojima... There would really be two ways of looking at it, and neither would encourage continued respect."

Souji smiled bemusedly at her as he beckoned her to walk with him. "Still caught up on the belief that a hardboiled detective has to be...male?" He asked, leaving his entertaining musings of the other interpretation of the situation out of his words.

"No, but considering that I've had all my co-workers believing thus, I have not the gall, nor the audacity to turn around and admit that I have lied to them." One thing Naoto had always admired in Souji was his incredible courage and confidence, something she considered ideal attributes in a hardboiled detective. Although she had never lacked for courage she could never emulate it, let alone confidence when she was forced out of her comfort zone.

"Then...can we tell our friends?" Souji ventured half innocently; it was a baited question since he asked all too often he knew the answer before she even had to say it.

"Never."

"Well they're getting pretty suspicious of us." He continued with a cheeky grin. "After all our watches beeps every time we get within twenty meters of each other." The proximity alert function Naoto installed was beginning to seem like a big mistake. The functions on both watches were synced together via radio waves so that if one had it switched on the other will automatically do the same, and vice versa if one had it switched off. It operated based which watch engaged the system more recently.

"I turned the proximity alert off, why do you keep turning it on?" Naoto asked voice toned with a slight hint of irritation.

"Because it's adorable how you jump." Souji answered, causing his lover to blushed crimson, and cursed her traitor body for doing so.

They passed through the market district, now covered in a glorious blanket of snow. The warm rich aroma of frying croquettes floated from the open-air stand of Souzai Daigaku. Naoto slowed her walk upon approach, instinctively turning for the Chinese restaurant wedged beside the fast food stand. Souji stopped her, indicating they should keep walking.

"We're not dining at your house are we?" Naoto asked warily, remembering the mess she caused there just the day before.

"Actually we are." He answered brightly, "I promised Nanako I'd cook and she insisted I bring you home."

"Nanako-chan...insisted...for me?" Naoto asked incredulous.

"Well I felt bad about Uncle forcing her to stay downstairs the whole time you were there... So I kind of told her she could think of you as an older sister. She's now enrapt with the idea."

Naoto murmured her surprise, embarrassed but glad. Nanako's innocent acceptance touching her heart, awaking the heavy sadness she had buried earlier. Did Souji know about the circumstances surrounding how Nanako lost her mother?

If he didn't it wasn't her place to say...

Snow began falling in fine powder flakes as they walked down the south end of the Shopping District. Naoto turned her eyes upwards, watching the beautiful white flurry swirl about her head, leaving soft cold kisses upon her cheeks. She puffed out deliberately, causing the light flakes to flee before the white wisps of vapour.

She turned slightly as Souji slowed down on the approach to Marukyu Tofu store, appearing deep in thought.

"Extending the invitation to Rise-san?" Naoto asked dryly.

Souji glanced at her, eyebrow raised. "...Not unless you want me to."

"N-no, I mean..." Naoto floundered again. "...She likes you." She felt unsure as to why she even mentioned it, and at the bitterness she felt for saying so.

Souji paused mid step, turning to Naoto a little surprised. "What does that have to do with anything?"

Naoto stayed silent, not wishing to voice her insecurities. Souji had a girlfriend before he even met Naoto. She knew, everyone knew. Ai Ebihara, a second year girl with a glamorous yet vicious reputation. Naoto had never paid her much heed back when she first started in Yasogami High, much like how she treated just about everyone around her. However one couldn't help but overhear things whispered around the hallways. At that time she had been listening intently for any news regarding Souji Seta and his group of friends, especially for Souji, whom she had considered the ringleader. That and the fact that the relationship was anything but discreet it was little wonder that she, like many other students, picked up on the news that the popular transfer student was seeing Ai.

At the time, such news did not register to the teen detective as being 'important,' she had more dire issues to address. However soon after her 'little incident' she returned to school, just in time to catch the new hot topic spreading around the school. The "Golden Couple" had parted ways.

She didn't much care then either. In fact she didn't even think about it until the midnight Channel incident had wrapped up for good. But by then it was too late, she had already gotten too deep. She had fallen in love.

It wasn't until that point had Naoto really taken a good look at Ai...

And what did it have to do with anything he asked...

"Nothing..." Naoto muttered, looking away.

Souji frowned but pressed no further, instead turning to the little corner shop they had stopped right in front of. Shiroku a little store some distance from the tofu store, one the group had frequented for supplies during their months of TV diving.

"I was actually thinking of getting more ingredients for dinner here." The pale teen casually replied to no question in particular.

Naoto flushed crimson, ashamed of her initial remark and accusatory undertones. She stood in the snow, staring at her feet, willing her ugly feelings away.

A hand brushed through the tassels of her hair causing her to look up in a start. Souji closed the distance between them, pulling her close, holding her to his chest. Naoto buried her face in his shirt, for once not caring if anyone saw. She turned her eyes upwards as the heavens split open and a flurry spilt forth, Souji leant in, letting the dancing flakes veil them from the world.

* * *

><p>AN: A thank you to my Beta reader and video game reviewer Jahan. If anyone is into video games take a look at his reviews on the PALGN site. Needless to say he did the Persona 4 review.

Disclaimer: I do not own Persona. If I did SxN would be the cannon pairing in the upcoming anime.

Next update on the 8th of July:

Hanged Man: Conflict of Interest

_Obsessive focus towards the cause, _

_Change is the foe that gives you pause._


	5. Hanged Man: Conflict of Interest

Fate or Fortune

Hanged Man: Conflict of Interest

_Obsessive focus towards the cause, _

_Familiar is the foe that gives you pause._

**Monday, March 20****th**** 2017 **

**San Diego; America**

A droplet of water splashed onto the neat blocky letters printed upon a notepad. A hand swiped down to wipe the moisture away only to end up smearing the letter across the page. Sighing Naoto stood up and walked to the bathroom to wash the ink from her hand and fetch a towel for her hair.

The rain pattered hard against the windows, drumming an ominous rhythm within Naoto's mind. As she returned, towel in hand, swathing it through the tangle of her hair, she glanced nervously to the television.

The mystery behind the Midnight Channel world had been solved five years ago, it should no longer have the capacity to kill like it had before.

She brushed her fingers against the screen watching it ripple. She could stick her head in and see for herself, but then she ran the risk of falling in and getting stuck. No she'll stick to the safer method.

She glanced down to her wristwatch. Just past eleven...just another hour and she'll know for sure.

Naoto paused, eyes lingering on the sliver of a screen above the time display. Had the proximity alarm been just a malfunction in hardware? Considering what she had learned today that would have been too perfectly coincidental...

With a sigh she dropped onto the edge of her bed, pen rolling down the dip she created, coming to a stop against the white fluff of her bathrobe. She picked it up and threw it further up the bed, and winced slightly as it collided loudly with the remote she had left beside her closed laptop, midway up the bed during her evening news.

Naoto gathered up the papers that scattered during the shift of equilibrium of the mattress, a little annoyed that the hotel the department had picked for her didn't even have a table. Well it did, but the table was on the balcony, and Naoto had no desire to work outside in the howling storm, sheltered balcony or no.

The room wasn't so bad in terms of comfort. It had a clean and user-friendly bathroom, first door to the right upon entering the room, although the showerhead was a bit high.

Past the bottle neck at the front door the room opens out to a reasonably spacious room in which a queen-sized bed and a large flat screen digital TV share cohabitations. The bed employed the duvet and bed sheet configuration commonly associated with western living, which was, in Naoto's opinion, stylish yet horribly inefficient compared to the Asian method of simply stuffing the blanket into a doona sock.

The television faced the foot of the bed, both lined straight down the centre of the room in a bid to take up as much space as possible. This only left a little space around the side of the room, a small sliver between the bed and the wall separating the room from the bathroom, just big enough to fit a bedside table with a lamp nailed directly into the centre of it. It had two drawers, one of which happened to be taken up by a large copy of the bible, a seemingly compulsorily service western temporary residence provided, the other held her revolver and vest-harness.

On the other side of the bed was another bedside table as well as some standing space between the bed and the balcony glass roller door, which at this moment was tightly covered by vertical blinds. The only other horizontal smooth surface in the room was a wooden shelf supporting the large digital television, which shared the table with the large box of uneaten doughnuts. The custom TV shelf contained slots for the remote as well as a small pile of TV guides advertising the movies the hotel had available for 'pay to view,' a mini fridge was tucked below it.

Naoto was at first a little worried about how she would end up partaking dinner but was relieved to find that the hotel delivered room service meals on a roller table. She had originally planned to keep the table for her work, but then quickly scrapped the idea when she realised she might run the risk of room service disturbing her after she showered and changed out of her chest binds. Caution won over as she ended up shoving the table outside into the hallway and jamming the 'Do not Disturb' tag on the doorhandle, then proceeded to sweep the entire room for electronic bugs and recording devices.

Upon further reflection the last bit may have been slightly excessive, but years in her line of work had caused her to become a tad paranoid.

Her paranoia even reflected in the choice of clothing she had packed in her briefcase.

Between a small portable first aid kit, containing one too many gauze bandages, and a second set of stylish, yet masculine cotton pyjamas, the top picked specifically a few sizes too large just to ensure comfort, she packed her selection of underwear-

Skin tight male boxer briefs.

Even her feminine necessities were hidden overly zealously, in a combination locked storage compartment within her suitcase, along with her passport. On the off chance Naoto failed to stow away her belongings properly when hotel staff came in for housekeeping, they would have no reason to suspect anything.

These particular habits hadn't developed recently; it had been part of Naoto's necessary precautions over the years she masqueraded as a man, going so far as her preteens. It was only when Naoto was alone in the room, certain every precaution was in place did she finally relax. Her bathrobes hung loosely off her feminine figure, losing her shape among the folds as it settled over her comfortable cotton pyjamas.

She sat perched on the edge of the bed, thumbing through the victims profile while cross checking with her notes.

**(Dr) Barton, Raymond. **

**Forty-Three years of age. Male. Caucasian. Hair: brown(grey), eyes: hazel. **

**Went missing on Monday, the 6****th**** of March. Body found later that day at 8:23PM on a television broadcasting tower. Time of Death estimated to 7PM. Disappearance reported by co-worker Maggie Stuart; office receptionist, discovered when she came to deliver first year work books (10am approx; possible time of disappearance), was not reported till after repeated attempts to get in contact with him over missed lectures. A call for witnesses was issued but no one could place his whereabouts after he entered office in the morning. Suggests disappearance occurred in the office.**

**Professor at University of California for fourteen years. Suspect's current(deceased) supervisor for his PhD. **

**Observed as to have had a cordial relationship with the suspect, regarded him well as a student. **

**No reports of arguments or any particular disagreements with suspect. Recent grading suggests no possible revenge motive.**

**Living relatives: Ex-wife (Martha Herron) with daughter (Victoria Barton) and family, living in Toronto Canada. Sister (elder; Melissa Barton) living in Newcastle, Australia.**

Naoto skimmed the sheet, reciting the facts off by heart. She glanced to the coloured square Polaroid stapled to the top of the stencil, a post-mortem photograph of the victim taken at the morgue, documenting the victim's facial appearance. Apart from the pasty complexion of death, not a single mark marred the professor's lined and sunken features. The gel in his grey hair dried and hardened causing the neatly parted hair to look stiff and brittle. Naoto glanced over the coroner's report noting nothing out of the ordinary, which was extremely out of the ordinary for a murder case.

As she turned to the next page she felt a twinge of sympathy for the young man. A youth who has already lead a hard life, one who would never get a chance to turn his life around. The young man's imaged tacked to the top of the sheet depicting the post-mortem. His bleached blond hair buzz cut across the scalp so that it only came up in sandy bristles. His pasty white skin unmarked by lines but tinged with a grey hue under his left eye, stretching down his cheek in a pale grey loop. Bruising Naoto noted, but nowhere extensive enough to be near time of death.

Bruising occurs when blood spills from broken capillaries, trapped them in areas they were not meant to go, giving fresh bruises a purple hue. It would be even more pronounced after death as blood pools from the skinbound capillaries around it would have drained to the lower cavities of the cadaver, leaving the blood trapped within the skin exposed starkly. The fact that the expanse of bruising was only a tepid grey suggests it was already a couple of weeks old.

She glanced down the coroner's report confirming her suspicions as well as adding notes about similar bruises found on various other parts of his body ranging in the same area of age, most notably the week old bruising around his knuckles.

Naoto turned to her notepad, reciting the information by heart, double checking for accuracy.

**Sanders, Robert. **

**Age: Seventeen. Male. Caucasian. Hair: Brown (bleached blond). Eyes: blue. **

**Went missing on Tuesday, the 14****th**** of March. Body found two days later on Thursday, the 16****th**** of March 7:12AM on the roof of a residential apartment. Time of death estimated to 9PM on the 15th. Last seen leaving for school at 8:10AM but did not return home. School attendance note claimed he never arrived, but over all his attendance was below par. They never raised the alarm. Foster parents (Judy Baxter and Charlie Baxter) did not report his disappearance till following morning when they realised he had failed to return home. **

**Call-in largely ignored by police who have dealt with the victim on several occasions involving minor offenses and considered the disappearance to be due to usual delinquency. Did not act until body was discovered.**

**Police records show Sanders had been booked for several counts of vandalism, mostly graffiti, one count of larceny, minor shoplifting offence, a suspect of one armed robbery but was not positively identified, he was also once arrested for assault but was not charged.**

**The victim entered Foster care at the age of twelve. His mother was arrested for drug possession with intent to distribute. He was moved from foster home to foster home for the past five years. Noted for bad behaviour by social services. Currently (deceased) attending San Diego Senior High School. All records from previous schools indicated his tendency to truant and lack of academic enthusiasm.**

**Suspect was witnessed by Mrs. Baxter to have met with victim on the 2****nd**** of March. The two engaged in a heated argument before blows were exchanged. Witness could not claim with certainty who had attacked first. Fight dispersed before witness could get across the street but descriptions of second person involved matched a student of the first victim, the current suspect. Suspect taken into custody on the grounds of witness statement on same day as body's discovery, released later next day due to lack of evidence.**

**Living relative(s): Mother (Helen Sanders) incarcerated in Las Colinas, San Diego women's Penitentiary. Father; unknown.**

Naoto set the profile aside, sighing a little. In many ways the young victim reminded her of a friend from years gone by. They had both been aggressive young men who ventured to the wrong side of the law one too many times, although the person she knew had eventually straightened out and became an upstanding young man within their community. The victim on the other hand had been started on the wrong path under less favourable circumstances, and seemed to have only continued to make the wrong decisions as time passed. Maybe at some point he might have turned his life around, maybe meet someone who would help him back on the right path. Someone to do for him like what another did for her friend years ago.

Now he'll never have the chance.

Naoto picked up the profile of the last victim, banishing further thoughts of the teen victim from her mind. Getting emotionally invested in the case is highly unprofessional and more often than not results in oversights of crucial details. Naoto never had problems maintaining professional detachment to cases before, even those where she worked with young victims, some even younger than that of the current case. Yet, she cannot help but be reminded...

Naoto shook her head, snapping herself out. She was rattled, and knew the reason but cannot bring herself to admit it. Instead she lowered her eyes back to her work, concentrating with a furious intensity.

**(DS) Ramsey, Todd. **

**Age: Thirty-eight. Male. African-American. Hair: Black. Eyes: Brown. **

**Went missing on Friday, the 17****th**** of March, shortly after suspect's release. Suspect released at 4:42PM. Victim left early at 5:02. Call by wife received at 8:12PM. Body discovered on the 18****th**** of March at 6:28AM hung on powerlines running by Balboa Park. Time of death was estimated to 6:30PM on the 17****th****. Expansive effort exerted within the time period between to locate victim. Traffic detail did not discover victim's car till after body was found. **

**Car was found at a tow-yard. Truck driver claimed to have towed the car from the financial district at 8:52PM on the Friday due to the parking meter's expiry. Financial district not on the way to victim's home, detour suspected; reason unknown.**

**Victim had been part of the police force for eighteen years, ten of which as a detective in the homicide department. Studied Criminal Justice part-time at San Diego State University, graduated 2006. Distinctive service record. Promoted to detective sergeant in 2014.**

**Head detective on the Barton Case, later joined the investigation with the Sanders Case. **

**Living relatives: Wife (Grace Ramsey) with sons (Derek Ramsey) and (William Ramsey).**

Naoto sat back staring intently at the post mortem photo. She had admittedly never worked with a victim of African descent before and was paranoid about missing signs of injuries due to her lack of experience.

The victim had a tight fuzz of hair, cut close to his scalp and fairly pronounced cheekbones, jutting out from just beneath his eyes where his skin, a now a pallid grey, pulled taught around it, giving his face a smooth and angular look. A small red cut stood out in stark contrast on his cheek, an otherwise invisible nick on his well shaven jaw-line, only a slight prickling of afternoon bristles stood upon it.

Pathology report indicated there were signs of recent bruising around his knuckles and fingers, suggesting he might have fought back against his attacker. Under his nails was trace amounts of plastic, acrylic. There was also a solid bruise at the back of his head where the spine joined the skull, indicating he might have been struck and dazed. Head trauma had been ruled out as a cause of death due to lack of cerebral injury.

Naoto sat back, glancing over her notepad in satisfaction with her notes. She understood the victims as well as she could expect.

Three people of very different backgrounds, murdered by unknown means, their only link being possibly the only man with the ability to kill them in such a way...

Naoto hesitantly turned over the evidence list to reveal the last profile tucked behind it.

The suspect profile.

The name Souji Seta was emblazoned across the header.

On the top right-hand corner of the sheet was stapled a photograph, a square image cropped around the face and shoulders of a smiling young man. The picture was obviously cropped from a larger photograph. It seemed the police did not take an official mug-shot, which meant when he had been taken into questioning he had not yet been charged.

His silver hair hung nearly shoulder length fringe now parted to one side, all traces of his old style haircut gone; a style reminiscent of a hyper-intelligent sociopathic killer from a popular cult manga at the time. Not the best association at the current point in time. His facial structure had grown sharper and more defined, chin and cheek-bones coming more to the dominant foreground than before. His head was tilted to one side, his cheek resting against someone's smooth brown hair, the rest of the second person's face was cut out of the frame.

Naoto's lip tugged downwards at the corner, she turned away blinking back her tears furiously. It didn't take a detective to figure out who that must be. But it's been four years...

What did she expect?

Naoto turned back to the photo, swallowing her emotions. Things were over; she hadn't even given it a thought since then.

No, that's a lie...

Naoto shook her head and let out a pent up breath, willing the turmoil within to depart with it. Even though she had never fully cast him from her mind, she had never permitted it to affect her day-to-day functioning, especially not when she was working. Now would be no exception.

Naoto allowed herself a moment to indulge with the notion of just skipping the profile altogether and sufficing with what she already knew. She rejected the idea almost as soon as it formed. It's been over four years, too long to claim current information. That, and the fact that she actually knew very little about him.

He had told her stories of course, some about his childhood at her request, some about his previous schools, never about his family. Thinking back on them, all his stories were inconsequential, never piecing together to form a picture of him as a whole. He was always such a mystery. In the end the parts of him she actually knew were what she observed during her time with him, and each piece true to the end. It was the parts she never known about, the parts that he never talked about, that in the end...

With a humourless grimace Naoto flipped her notepad to a blank page before returning her attention to the suspect profile, studiously ignoring the photo.

**Seta, Souji. **

**Age: Twenty-two. Male. Asian.**

Naoto paused in her note taking, realising with a little bit of chagrin her off-hand knowledge of the suspect's appearance was more than sufficient. She quickly scanned down the police report for information she didn't already know. She skimmed through the list of schools he transferred through. Quite a few of them were foreign schools, many of them in English speaking countries. Well that explained why he was so fluent in that language. She skipped past the large section about Inaba, and stopped at the transition to university.

Naoto hesitated as a memory stirred at the back of her mind causing her spine to go rigid. She turned away, a little distressed by how badly she was handling this. She gritted her teeth and turned back. This was getting ridiculous. This was just another case, all she had to do was to look at the dots and connect them together. Yet here it was, dredging up memories of things she had not thought about in years, things she did not ever want to think about again. Angrily she found the line she was up to and continued reading, this time taking notes, allowing the rhythmic tapping of her pen to sooth her troubled mind.

**Suspect migrated to America on the 25****th**** of March 2013. **

**Began attendance at University of California; San Diego under company sponsorship. Sponsor is the Japanese Kirijo group, owner of the Trans-Western trading company (a company that deals in the importation as well as the manufacture and distribution of electronics and robotics). It is also the company the suspect's parents work for.**

Naoto paused in her note taking, the name striking a chord with her memory. The Kirijo group... She remembered reading about them from one of her grandfather's old case records. She wasn't too clear on the details, having no recollection of the records except that an explosion was involved. Was that significant to the case at hand?

She took a few more notes on the parent's line of work.

**Father (Seta, Masaru) is company liaison for this branch with the main HQ in Japan. Mother (Seta, Emiko) is secretary to the father. Prior to permanent placement in San Diego the father was stationed with multiple branch companies as a temporary liaison. Permanent position only became available about five years ago when the San Diego branch was deemed highly profitable.**

Naoto rubbed her temples, wishing she could remember more about the group that claimed ownership of the company. Well there was not much she can do about it now; if she needed it she could always contact Yakushiji to email her the encrypted electronic files of the case. She returned her attention to the profile, focusing on the suspect's academic career.

**Suspect studies Psychology, finished undergrad with honours. Started this year on his post-graduate degree.**

**Is the captain of the University debating team, a player on the university basketball team and current student body vice-president. **

Apparently some things never change...

**Taken for questioning on the 16****th**** of March 5:02 PM for involvement with the two victims. Source of suspicion was the testimony of the second victim's guardian obtained earlier the same day.**

**Suspect's alibi was that he was with girlfriend Sandy Charlton on the evening of the first murder. Claim denied by her. **

**No alibi for the night of the second murder.**

**Released on 17****th**** of March at 4:42PM.**

**Missing since the disappearance and murder of third victim.**

Naoto sat back, rolling her pen around between her fingers. With a scowl of annoyance she noticed the ink grew more and more faded with every letter she wrote until there was barely a hint in the groves traced by the nib. She shook the pen out and tried to re-ink the last few letters with a furious fervour. She sighed with relief as the ink began to flow again, albeit slow and sloppy. Sitting back she felt the creeping realisation that her frustration had not left her with the pen's ink.

Souji's case, although too flimsy to prove guilt in an American court of law, was definitely solid enough to declare guilt in a Japanese one. Had this case been in Japan he would have already be taken to court and charged.

For some reason this thought was causing Naoto considerable distress.

But why should it? He was no longer part of her life. She was over it years ago. More than over it...

Yet she still leapt head first right into this case the moment she knew Souji was involved... To deny it would be a shameful attempt at self-deceit.

No. She will not run away.

Naoto gritted her teeth, resolving to see the interrogation tapes for herself. To avoid him would be to admit defeat, to admit that she was compromised.

She rubbed her temples, utterly exhausted and emotionally drained, jetlag finally taking a hold of her. There was still the evidence list to go but she was in no condition to continue tonight.

Looking back to her watch she noted with a sigh of relief that midnight was finally approaching. She glanced to the blinded windows, taking note of the patter of raindrops before directing her attention to the television.

Midnight slowly rolled past as she sat perched on the edge of her bed. Tensing as the digital seconds clicked together on the hour.

Nothing.

She let out the breath she was holding and allowed herself to relax as she flopped back onto the mattress.

_**Bzzt**_

Naoto sat up in a start as the television flickered on. With a shiver of horror she realised an image of a man was materialising before her eyes.

It really was starting all over again! The past has come back to-

Then she froze...as the scene changed to that of a giant boulder, chasing a retreating figure down the screen.

And she buried her face in her palm upon the realisation that it was just her rolling onto the remote.

* * *

><p>AN: The manga character I said Souji's haircut looked like. Can you figure out who it is? I'll give a clue. It involves death gods and another detective mystery... sort of.

A thank you to my Beta reader and video game reviewer Jahan. If anyone is into video games take a look at his reviews on the PALGN site. Needless to say he did the Persona 4 review. Find the link to the persona 4 review on my profile page.

Disclaimer: I do not own Persona. If I did all the Persona games would have a complete overhaul and a port to the PSP Vita.

Next update on the 22nd of July:

Fortune: To Meet Again

_Farewell rings hollow to fate depart, _

_A memory quelled within the heart._


	6. Fortune: To Meet Again

Fate or Fortune

Fortune: To Meet Again

_Farewell rings hollow to fate depart, _

_A memory quelled within the heart._

**Monday, March 20****th**** 2012**

**Inaba; Japan**

Spring dawned in the sleepy town of Inaba. This was the time of year when the rays from a bright young sun melted away the last of winter's harsh ice to reveal the fresh young growth of life beginning again. A time for joy as the world begins anew.

Except Naoto could not find it in herself to enjoy the beauty of the season.

With the coming of spring came the reminder the day of Souji's departure was almost upon them.

Souji, ever the optimist, endeavoured to spend as much time with her as he could, insisting that she enjoy the time they had together rather than mull over things out of their control.

However she had to share him.

With the day of his departure fast approaching all his close friends were demanding a slice of his time, he had to pretty much quit his extracurricular activities to find that time. Every afternoon after school Souji would hang out with one group or another, chatting, laughing and enjoying what little time he had left with them. He allocated the largest portion of time to spend with the people he referred playfully to as his "investigation team," a light hearted nickname in contrast to the desperate days they had spent together fighting to uncover the truth of the Inaba murders. It was to this group Naoto belonged.

It was a strange feeling to belong, something Naoto had never had before. Before coming to Inaba her social experience had been very limited. She had originally started grade school in a more traditional way, with other kids in a private boarding institute. Due to their job her parents travelled a lot, and had decided on the boarding school due to the fact they would not be able to spend time with her. This way she would have a point of stability in the location she lived in and the people around her. Her grandfather had always been against the notion of sending her away for schooling despite the fact that he too travelled for his work so the day her parents died he came to take her back to the estate.

Naoto couldn't even remember those days anymore, except that she was relieved to have been taken home. Even back then she had not the capacity to get along with the other kids. But as time wore on the novelty of being homeschooled grew thin. She didn't know when she started feeling the oppressive loneliness she suppressed in her heart of hearts, but her grandfather saw it before she ever did.

At first all he could do was distract her from her solitude by tasking his secretary Yakushiji to scatter puzzles around the house in a bid to enrich her environment. He could not think of any other way of helping Naoto cope with the tragedy and change since he was unable to take enough time off to spend with her. However, slowly he began to discover his granddaughter's growing fascination with the game of mystery which branched off into an interest in the family career, going so far as for her to self-study criminology from various resources stocked within the estate library. Eventually the grandfather made the radical decision to bring the very young Naoto along to some of his milder cases, hence starting Naoto's transition into her destined career.

Naoto buried herself deep into the world of death and deceit, revelling in her growing talent, her potential for the game of logic seemed limitless. At times she could even outthink her grandfather at the turntables of cases, more than once she helped him solve a case by spotting something he yet to. Fuelled by her own fascination, and her grandfather's expressed pride, she threw herself into her criminal studies with obsessive stride. Before she knew it, she earned the right to bear the title 'Detective,' at the cost of her childhood.

The irony was that of all the insight she possessed and the finesse of her attention to detail, the one thing she could not see was the emptiness her own life, until that fateful day. The day she stood utterly alone, forced to look upon the abomination that was she and see the cancerous truth that she had buried within herself.

It was painful...and almost deadly...

Yet looking back on it now, she was more grateful than anything to have been given the chance to confront it. Three simple words, "you are me," could have not been harder to utter, yet the moment those words left her lips, a great weight lifted from her shoulders. There she learnt for the first time what true strength was, as she stood before the manifestation of her courage. Her persona.

From then on the doors to a new world of possibilities opened to her. Friends, acceptance, a childhood she had not known she missed, the chance to start over again.

Had she not faced herself, had she not ventured to Inaba, she might not have ever known what was missing in her life. She would never have met Souji.

As the afternoon rolled by, the 'Investigation Team' gathered more and more often; salvaging what little time they had left. Naoto's memories of these days would be forever remembered with a light hearted glow and an unfamiliar sense of belonging. Although some parts of their group's interactions still baffled and irritated her, such as Yosuke-Senpai's constant need to harass people about topics they'd rather not talk about, or Rise's need to elbow her way in the middle of everyone's state of affairs. It was no surprise that it was always these two who tended to cause Naoto the most discomfort.

It was due to her own lapse in vigilance that Rise eventually caught her off guard in a joint science lab class.

Naoto had drifted off, her thoughts floating off within a pleasant memory. Her expression must have given her away because next thing she knew the bell rang and Rise jumped at her demanding to know who she was thinking about. Startled and confused, Naoto at first couldn't pull her wits together fast enough to compose an eloquent reply, then when it finally dawned on her the details Rise demanded she couldn't keep the embarrassment from her resulted in her blushing and stammering non-sequiturs before jumping out of her seat and dashing from the classroom.

Upon reflection she realised that was the absolute worst way to handle the situation, because by the time she joined the afternoon group outing it became abundantly apparent that gossip had reached every ear within the vicinity.

Chie-Senpai, Yukiko-Senpai and Kanji weren't so bad; the two girls left her alone after making one or two attempts at gossip trawling, taking pity on their socially awkward under class man. Kanji was only slightly uncomfortable to deal with, as he too seemed embarrassed, apparently empathising with her dilemma, and ended up shuffling awkwardly to and fro around her, approaching her for apparently no reason at all, spouting confusing partial-sentences before slinking away. Of course this ended up fuelling the abuse from the ones who _were _a problem.

"So is it Kaaaanji-kun?" Rise would ask. It wasn't, but that didn't stop Naoto from fuming with embarrassment and causing Kanji to freak out in what she assumed to be legitimate distress at being the target of a false accusation.

"Oooooh. What's this?" Yosuke-Senpai would pipe in, mistaking their collective fluster for an admission of guilt. "Kanji! You sly piece of work!"

"Th-that ain't it!" Kanji would exclaim, glancing in Naoto in a very alarmed fashion.

Then Teddie would insinuate something far worse then what he probably meant to say in his usual perverted, yet oddly innocent way and Yosuke or Rise would attach to that comment causing further misunderstanding. As luck would have it, this became cemented as a common topic of discussion in their afternoon group gatherings.

At one point Naoto glanced to Souji, pleading desperately with her eyes signalling for him to help. He just ended up gave her a smile that spoke baffled amusement, then he glanced to Kanji, smile replaced with a slight look of discomfort.

Later that day, as they walked together to his house, she confronted him about it, demanding to know why he didn't smooth-talk her out of the situation. He just laughed and claimed it was his way of getting back at her for forcing him to keep their relationship secret. There was something nagging at the back of Naoto's mind about the way he dismissed it. She couldn't help but feel like he wasn't saying everything on his mind. However tired of gossip-mongerers and not keen on becoming one herself she let the matter drop. They ended up walking the rest of the way in a distant silence.

It had become almost a daily occurrence for Naoto to break dinner at the Dojima residence, barring the days when Souji's uncle was actually home. Nanako had really taken a shine to the older girl despite the fact that she was socially challenged. However unlike her friends at school, the young niece never broached taboo topics of conversation, in fact they found they had a many common topics to discuss, both being part of detective families and all. In many ways Nanako reminded Naoto of herself, not just the heightened mental agility, but also the circumstance of their childhoods.

On these evenings Naoto would stay till Nanako was put to bed, then Souji would walk her home. He would walk her up to the doorstep of her rented townhouse, always looking slightly expectant but Naoto, possibly not picking up the hints, never let him inside. Each time he wouldn't say a word, instead opting to steal a kiss before disappearing into the night.

In this fashion, the days rolled on, the first month of Spring passing in a blink of an eye. Before they knew it, Spring Break loomed upon them.

Ordinarily Spring break was a source of excitement for students, at least to those who passed their exams. But this year the atmosphere was subdued.

That was because the first day of Spring Break would be the last day Souji would stay in Inaba.

In his time here he had become extraordinarily popular, going so far as to receive as many love letters in his shoebox as Naoto had. It had always been a source of jokes between them, with Souji often joking referring to her as a 'Chick-Magnet,' an English word that was baffling in its vocabulary construct. It was inevitable that the school population became increasingly sombre as the day of Souji's departure drew near and eventually broke upon them.

* * *

><p>It was the first day of Spring Break. Most of the school body were out enjoying their brief period of freedom. For the rest, the school gates remained open. These were the students who lost their holiday due to inadequate scores in exams and subsequently were stuck with extra supplementary homework. However that was not the reason why Naoto was here.<p>

After the Inaba case wrapped up, Naoto found herself with more free time than she knew what to do with. She ended up taking on extra subject loads in a bid to accelerate her studies. Her application had been approved and she ended up finishing the core second year topics on top of her first year ones. Due to the restrictive nature of the third year she would be starting at the beginning of the academic year in early mid April, hence she was forced to finish the second year elective subjects during Summer school, whereby she would be accelerated into third year upon passing the supplementary exams at the end of the course.

Naoto didn't find the arrangement objectionable; she quite liked the idea of having something arranged for her to do during the holidays. Especially considering Souji was leaving almost as soon as Break started...

A gloomy storm cloud overshadowed Naoto's day as she attended supplementary class with an unfamiliar crowd of second years. Ordinarily she would be fairly annoyed with the exuberant amount of chatter coming from her peers while class was in session however today she was more than happy to just phase out as the background chatter droned on. By the time school's end rolled around half the class had disappeared one way or another, leaving Naoto among a much reduced class of disinterested second years, watched over by an equally disinterested supervising teacher.

As bell rang, the entire class seemed to have evaporated in a flurry of unopened stationary and unfinished exercise stencils, not even the teacher stayed longer than he had to. By the time Naoto packed her bag and exited, the hallway was completely deserted. She shuffled towards the staircase, soaking in the oppressive atmosphere of solitude, making her feel just that much more miserable.

As the brooding teen approached the stairwell she could make out the distant sound of voices.

So there were still students here, she thought.

As she drew closer she could identify the speaker as a female, voice oddly familiar. Suddenly a strikingly familiar voice joined in the conversation, stopping Naoto mid-step half way down the first flight of steps. She quickly backtracked and dove head-first into the first open door she saw, which happened to be the same second year classroom she left, jamming the proximity alarm on her watch. She peeked around the doorframe cautiously as she saw Ai Ebihara round the stairwell for the upper flight of stairs. Following after her, was Souji.

Naoto leant against the frame, not quite sure what to think, her mind buzzed with a jumble of suspicion, triggered by her detective's intuition and paranoia. She slunk out of the classroom and stared down the hallway, quietly wrestling her emotions under control. She began to sort out her thoughts as she snuck back to the stairs.

She knew Souji had dated Ai long before Naoto had even known him. The relationship had barely lasted two months before they had called it off under, to Naoto's understanding, amicable terms.

In which case why shouldn't Souji come say goodbye to her? They were still good friends.

A beautiful friend...

Naoto froze in front of the stairwell, looking to and from the lower and upper flights.

In her unspoken heart she had always wondered what Souji saw in her. Naoto was not like other girls. She didn't dress the part, she didn't act the part, heck even her name was masculine. When she compared herself to girls like Yukiko Amagi or Ai Ebihara she could not help but feel biting inferiority, something she never felt before, and frankly it felt quite alarming.

Of all the girls Souji could have chosen he picked the one least like a girl. It was no secret that just about all of the girls in their little friendship group had an interest in him, Rise practically threw herself all over him at any given opportunity. Even Chie-Senpai at least wore a dress.

But Naoto...

Maybe it was a post-separation induced venture? What do they call it... a rebound?

Not for the first time the thought passed through her mind.

One thing she really understood of romantic entanglement, mostly learnt from case studies and various crime fiction novels, was that a broken heart tend to cause people do illogical things. Often in a vengeful bid to hurt the one who hurt them...

Naoto's chest felt tight as she turned to the ascending steps, frustration seeping heavily into her conscious mind. She could not think rationally, and it scared her, she was unsure of what she was going to do.

As she put her foot on the first step a memory stirred within her, striking her still. A memory of a time passed by, when autumn was still young, a rare moment of peace tucked within a long span of anxiety and strife.

She had stood before a shrine, facing the young man who was destined to make her happier than she ever thought possible, but at that moment all she felt was outrage.

Outraged that he would gamble his life in a misguided attempt to protect her.

If he got himself killed, he would have died on her conscience!

Yet despite not knowing the fraudulent nature of the weapon, he threw himself in front of it, in a bid to shield Naoto's life with his own.

She could not fathom it, and as her anger bubbled down enough for her to contain, she asked him why. She didn't know what she had expected the answer to be, all she knew was that it had not been the words that he uttered.

In an instant her anger and frustration fled, leaving in its stead a myriad of new emotion.

During their afternoons together, attempting to solve the challenges set by the, at the time, elusive Phantom Thief, new feelings had awoken in Naoto, ones she did not recognise and blatantly denied to herself. His confession stirred them from their slumber, setting them a flight within Naoto's ill equipped heart.

She didn't know what to do, she didn't know what to think, and in a whirl of confusion she ran from him.

That must have hurt him. He had confessed, only to see the recipient leave without a word of response. Yet despite that, he had been patient, and waited, waited for Naoto to accept or reject him.

She eventually composed herself and gathered the courage to approach him again. This time she confessed to him. She still remembered his expression from that day, when she admitted she loved him.

He smiled, his eyes, sparkling with unfiltered joy.

Naoto gripped the handrail, awakening back to the present. She let out a pent up breath, letting the irrational emotions depart with it. She withdrew her foot from the base of the ascending staircase. Slightly embarrassed by her emotional explosion she turned to the descending steps, no longer lending ear to the baseless voice of doubt whispering at the back of her mind.

As her feet touched ground floor she heard footsteps approaching behind her. She turned quickly down the faculty hallway, in the pretence that she was visiting the staff office. She watched as Ai Ebihara stepped down onto the smooth wooden planks of the hallway and calmly strode to her shoe locker, a smile lingering upon her lips mingled with sadness.

As Ai left, Naoto turned back towards the lockers, only to freeze as Souji stepped out from the staircase, literally stepping right in front of her. He paused and turned, then glanced down at his watch, surprise evident on his face.

Naoto panicked, embarrassed by her own emotional sabotage mere moments before. She tried to play off this meeting as coolly as possible.

"Oh... Senpai. Do you have business at school, too?" She paused, amending her casual dismissal. "Oh, that's right. You're leaving tomorrow... Saying goodbye to the teachers?"

Her casual misdirection backfired slightly when he just cocked a cheeky eyebrow and answered. "That's right."

Naoto's face fell. "That's very kind of you..." she tried to hide the pang of hurt. "...Well then please excuse me."

She pulled her cap over her eyes as she attempted to slink around him.

"Whoa whoa! I was joking!" Souji exclaimed as he placed a firm hand on her shoulder, holding her in place. "I would have thought you'd learn not to take me so literally by now."

Naoto didn't know what to say, she was acting foolish and she knew it.

"I came to... uhhh... my last day of school..." Souji trailed off as a straggling student alighted from the stairs.

Naoto played along. "Having a last look at the school huh?" then lapsed into silence as the stray student slipped his shoes on and dashed out of the door.

Naoto allowed the silence to sit a little while longer before at last asking. "Can I come with you?"

Souji grinned in reply. "I thought you'd never ask."

* * *

><p>Standing together on the roof Naoto looked out upon the quiet country town. She and Souji spent many a lunch break up here, whereby he'd share his superbly prepared lunches with her. She was always a little compromised by her own culinary skills, or lack thereof, relying heavily on take out for all her daily meals. Souji's fantastic cooking always made for a delightful change of pace.<p>

Standing there now, the one place in the school that held the happiest memories for her, she could not help but feel his impending departure weighing down heavily on her heart.

As they conversed somehow the topic trailed into Naoto's decision to stay there. She admitted the idea made her lonely, then subsequently apologised for ruining the mood.

Souji's smile melted away then, sadness creeping into his expression. He uttered an apology, apparently at a loss as to what to say.

Naoto quickly assured him that there was nothing to apologise for and reconfirmed her resolve to him, however slowly but surely her emotional barriers broke down. As she asked him to remember her, and all the time they spent together, and of the love they had shared, her tears overflowed.

He gently leant forward and pulled her into an embrace, and whispered in her ear over and over that he would never forget.

Pulling away, Naoto blushed, embarrassed for leaving tear stains down the front of his shirt. She muttered that this would probably be the last time they talked alone like this as she attempted to compose herself.

Souji stopped her before she could say anymore "I'll visit you." He promised. "This isn't a goodbye."

Touched by the sentiment, Naoto beamed through a veil of tears. His words struck the flame of joy back into her heart.

He would not say goodbye.

Because they would one day meet again.

* * *

><p>AN: Fanboy Kharta has created a very artsy title page for this fanfic. Check it out. Link is on the top of my profile page.

A thank you to my Beta reader and video game reviewer Jahan. If anyone is into video games take a look at his reviews on the PALGN site. Needless to say he did the Persona 4 review. Find the link to the persona 4 review on my profile page.

Disclaimer: I do not own Persona. If I did there'd be three additional months of game play after Christmas, all of it shameless fan service.

Next update on the 5th of August:

Lovers: The Familiar Stranger

_Instinct knows when logic lies, _

_Intuition belies surprise._


	7. Lovers: The Familiar Stranger

Fate or Fortune

Lovers: The Familiar Stranger

_Instinct knows when logic lies, _

_Intuition belies surprise._

**Tuesday, March 21****st**** 2017 **

**San Diego; America**

"...I have a witness that placed you with the second victim, a Robert Sanders, a fortnight before his murder and you have no alibi."

"In other words you don't have anything?"

Naoto watched the to and fro between the suspect Souji Seta and the eventual third victim Detective Todd Ramsey accompanied by the ungainly Detective Peterman, who at the moment opted to observe silently. It seemed even after so many years Souji retained his ability to detect buttons, and push them.

The security camera shot the scene from a vantage point high in corner of the room, giving the picture a slight distorted parallax. However even with the angled image Naoto could make out the look of feigned boredom plastered across Souji's face, a stark contrast to the sharp concentration within his eyes. The same fierce focus was reflected in the detective's eyes as he attempted again to goad his young suspect into speech.

"Do you, or do you not deny that you met with the second victim a week before his murder?"

Souji smirked, causing a large patch of slight discolouration around his jaw line to stretch. Naoto had originally took that to be a film error. She now realised it was the form of a fading bruise, much alike the one on the second victim.

"And if I had what of it?" He asked in a calm voice. "If your entire case is based on the assumption that I had encountered both victims at some point in my life, with no further evidence or input I can assure you, you have no case."

Ramsey pounded the table, causing Souji to jump. "Do not. Divert. The question." He snarled. "You encountered the young man a fortnight ago! Do you deny this?"

Souji sat in glowering silence, looking less than impressed.

After a few seconds of silence Peterman finally spoke, tone level and reasonable. "As you said it yourself, you lose nothing by admitting it."

A moment passed, before a distorted smile stretching across Souji's face. "I don't believe it..." he laughed. "Good cop bad cop? On a psychology graduate?"

Ramsey and Peterman exchanged glances, not encouraged by their suspect's reaction.

"I think you can't even establish with certainty that I was who the witness saw." Souji began, face setting back to default. "What did he say? Did he say he saw an albino?"

"An albino Asian." Peterman answered, rising to Souji's bait. "I'd say the chances of finding another one of those around here are pretty slim."

"Indeed?" Souji leant on one of his elbows with a plausible look of surprise on his face. "But then again...they say that a witness testimony is by far the flimsiest piece of evidence in court..." He let that sentence trail on, face relaxing back to the smug bored look. "Does this person also have perfect eyesight? Did he see this person standing right in front of him, in full clear view? Because if not, this witness will fall apart the moment cross-examination begins."

Naoto grimaced, Souji's assertion echoed her exact thoughts the previous day.

"Look. You're a smart kid." Peterman leant against the table, barely attempting to hide his irritation. "And if you've got nothing to hide then you would do well to co-operate with the police."

"Co-operate how? By making your jobs easier and confessing to a crime I did not commit?" Souji leant forward, holding the portly detective's eye contact. "You have nothing. And that's why you're clutching at straws."

Another photograph slid across the table, this time Souji's brows nit together with a look of recognition.

"Doctor Raymond Barton. I know you were a student of his. Tell me what you were doing on Monday the 6th."

"I was with Sandy... My girlfriend. I did not go to uni at all." Souji answered in an even voice, with no hesitation or the snap response one would expect from a practiced delivery.

Peterman exchanged glances with Ramsey, before turning to the side and signalling to something off-camera. If the room was built like interrogation rooms Naoto was used to that would be another camera, installed perfectly perpendicular. This was so that people observing from the other side will always have a perfect view of the suspect, unobstructed by the interrogator standing across the table from him. Sure enough moments later a uniformed person walked into the room with a pen and a form in hand. Souji glanced over to the side with a look of sullen annoyance.

The one-way mirror had long since lost its mystique due to over portrayal in media pop-culture, and had long since been replaced by a split camera system. The camera Naoto was watching through now sat high and visible; it would give the clearest shot of the suspect's face but occasionally became obstructed by the interrogator. Its secondary function was a psychological one for when the inhabitant registers its existence; it would then give the suspect a sense of powerlessness of being observed by the unseen.

"You will give a signed declaration of your alibi." Detective Ramsey ordered as he slid the form to Souji and placed the pen in front of him.

Souji wrote without hesitation, penning down his words unrecognisable through the security film.

Naoto paused and flipped through the evidence folder to find the printed copy. It was just a simple sentence rephrasing what he had said written in a long angular print with his signature scribbled at the bottom in Japanese.

Detective Ramsey picked up the stencil and swept out of the room, followed closely by Peterman. Only when they left did Souji finally seem to relax, turning his face from the side camera, but neglecting to regard the front one. Even from the minor angle of his face, Naoto could see his eyes lose their sharp edge, and a shadow of fatigue blanket his expression and posture.

The video ended there.

Naoto sat in silence, mind not immediately picking apart the details in the video like she would have usually done. Her focus was out of place, she could not put her mind in the game.

"There's another interview clip with the guy." A voice behind her spoke up, making her jump. She had completely forgotten Nathan was in the room. But who could blame her? He hadn't said a word for over half an hour causing the room to feel peaceful and Nathan-free. He sat in a chair behind the small detective, looking over her shoulder with great ease due to their disparity in height.

Following his line of sight she quickly realised he had read the listings of interview videos off her evidence report, printed on the list adjacent to the copy of Souji's signed document. Naoto cursed herself for not noticing it. There was a rule discouraging investigators from working on cases that hit too close to home, she was beginning to see why.

"It's in here." Nathan pointed to the hard drive when Naoto didn't move. "Here let me put it on for you."

The tall detective towered over her easily as he minimised the media player, promptly clicking through the folder until he found the video file. He put it on play and withdrew back into his seat, finally allowing Naoto to tilt her head up again and adjust her hat back into place.

She brought her eyes up to the screen to see Souji sitting upon the same chair, seemingly unmoved since the last clip. His shoulders sagged under the stiff material of his dark jacket, looking much worse for wear now. He wasn't even attempting to hide his fatigue.

Naoto noted the time on the video stated 4:20PM exactly, meaning this interview was conducted more than twenty hours after the first one, and less than half an hour before they released Souji without charge.

Souji did not stew for long before Detective Ramsey entered alone, and got straight down to business.

"You were lying." He stated simply as he strode across the room to stand on the opposite side of the table. "Ms Charlton denies you were with her at any point in that day."

The silence hung heavy between them. Souji's eyes dropped, and faced away, his expression was of hurt but not surprise.

"...We broke up...that night." Souji muttered without much feeling. Naoto's brows scrunched in surprise.

Ramsey leaned forward against the table, closing the distance between them. "Now..." He growled, "Why don't I believe you?"

"Think what you want." The defiant young man rebuke as he placed his elbows against the table, thatching his fingers before his chin, quickly establishing his composure. "I will assert that she is lying."

A silence ensued, as the two stared across the table gauging one another. Ramsey leant forward against the table, imposing his standing height so that Souji had to tilt his head upwards to maintain eye contact.

"Mr Seta." The detective began, the intensity of his searching gaze betraying the gravity of his words. "I would like you to tell me about Inaba."

Souji's eyes widened marginally but his face remained composed and unchanged. He said not a word. Seeing that his suspect was opting for silence, the detective tried once more to goad the young man into speech.

"It seems...you lived in Inaba during the period of 2011 till the beginning of 2012." He paused, assessing Souji's non-reaction. "This also appears to coincide with several kidnapping and murders occurred within that region, and subsequently stopped at approximately the same time you left." Souji sat stark ridged, his fierce eyes betraying his poorly feigned disinterest. "Tell me Mr Seta. Does this sound as funny to you as it does to me?"

Souji's lips parted then closed again, apparently at a loss for words, before his eyes dropped from Ramsey's. Suddenly his eyes snapped up again, and replied almost tauntingly. "I will admit I was in Inaba, but the culprits for the murders were apprehended, and not once did I even make it onto the official suspect's list. The best you can argue that into is an inference based on circumstantial evidence."

Naoto grimaced as she caught the inside joke. He was not an 'official' suspect but was taken in for questioning, by his own uncle no less, and he was even Naoto's original top suspect.

"I find it interesting..." Ramsey said, letting the word linger. "That you were present for the apprehension of each suspect."

"Indeed?" Souji muttered. "And are you going to court with just that?"

Ramsey dropped into silence. Usually suspects would begin sweating at this point, having the detective's speculations hit too close to the truth. They would usually say too much in their bid to convince the detective otherwise and dig themselves into their own charges. It did not work so well when the suspect was familiar with judicial law, or has a lawyer to tell them to shut up. Naoto briefly wondered if the university offered criminal law as part of their psychology degree.

"... Look kid. I'm trying to help you." Ramsey tried once more. "And I can't do that if you don't give me anything to work with."

Souji smiled through a frown, barely hiding his contempt for such a simple ruse. "You want to help me? Fine!" He snapped "Go make yourself useful and do something you might accomplish, like finding stolen cars or something else more your speed! It's blindingly obvious you don't even know where to begin looking!"

Naoto started in surprise. She had known Souji was a little smart-mouthed, but he never outright insulted anybody before.

Crossing his arms the defiant young man leant back, he said all he was going to say.

Detective Ramsey shook his head and muttered something too low for the audio recorder to pick up and stalked out of the room. A few minutes later someone opened the door and guided Souji out. The video clip ended there.

"I'll be...he was involved in another serial murder case?" Nathan uttered in awe. "Well that pretty much clinches it..."

"It does no such thing." Naoto reprimanded. "He was not implicated in that case. And there is no solid evidence against him in this. Your legal system would decree such a flimsy case be laughed at."

Nathan rocked back in his chair. "Well...alright then. Where do you start?"

"I'll start by talking to the suspect's parents." Naoto answered as she stood up. "And see if I can convince them to allow me to search his room. Something bothers me."

Nathan perked up, all excited, then suddenly froze, and slumped. "Wait, we need a warrant for that."

Naoto nodded in acknowledgement. "But only if they do not let us in voluntarily."

"And you think they will?"

"Possibly."

"Why? Or is it another Japanese cultural thing?"

Naoto glared in blatant irritation and did not dignify that with an answer.

* * *

><p>After running this decision by Peterman, and discovering he had not even yet had Naoto's translated Inaba case files copied and distributed among the investigators, Naoto was free to make her attempt at investigation. She was told that no aid would be given if she required a warrant since the police had already made an official search of his house and found nothing significant. They did not have any new break throughs to endorse another.<p>

On the drive to the listed address, Naoto sat shotgun, nose buried in the evidence file, taking notes on the interrogation from a written transaction, scribbling furiously when the pen began to splutter dryly.

Nathan drove in awkward semi-silence, making several attempts at starting a conversation mostly to do with the big park they drove by and how it houses a zoo, then upon getting no responses gave up trying to play tour-guide. He opted instead to focus on the road for the rest of the way, staring gloomily out into the drab day decorated by the pale grey light that made it through the dense cloud cover.

As the car pulled up to the curb, the young detective finally emerged from her notes, then promptly choked back a cry of surprise. She glanced to her watch, eyes reading the 'Out of range' over and over again in a panic, not quite sure what to think.

Because they pulled up to the exact spot the watch had reacted just the day before.

Was she really just meters away from Souji?

If he was hiding home Naoto's chances of getting an interview and a voluntary search was greatly diminished...and she did not relish the idea of having to arrest him.

She quickly dismissed it; the idea of him still wearing that watch was preposterous. The most likely scenario was that the watch was just somewhere in the house...possibly buried in the yard and forgotten about.

She's certainly contemplated it...but could never bring herself to throw it away.

Even if it held memories she'd rather forget.

Keeping an eye on the watch Naoto stepped through the front gates, the hinge giving a slight squeak as it opened, and paced up the path leading to the house. She stared at the clock-face so intently she almost walked into the door that loomed out of nowhere, and ended up stopping right in front of it, eyes not shifting from the distance panel.

Without waiting for the distracted detective to react, Nathan reached out and jammed his thumb into the doorbell, jolting Naoto out of her stasis.

Footsteps could be heard, before the door opened a crack, straining against a chain keeping it barred. An eye peeked around the corner, brown pupil swivelling upwards to meet the tall American Detective.

Nathan pulled out his detectives badge and displayed it proudly. "I'm Detective Nathan Evans with the SDPD, and this is Detective Naoto Shirogane."

The eye swivelled down to observe the far shorter, yet far more conspicuous individual.

Tipping her cap Naoto bowed politely in greeting then spoke to the occupant in Japanese. "I am an associate of Ryotaro Dojima's. I would like to help you help Souji-san."

Immediately the eye widened in surprise before quickly withdrawing, closing the door. The sound of a sliding click could be heard before the door swung fully opened, revealing a dark-haired middle-aged Japanese lady dressed in a collared shirt and formal skirt. With a small bow to the detectives she held the door open to admit her guests.

Nathan proceeded to take his shoes off, surprising Naoto who had long been under the impression that westerners did not care about leaving dusty shoeprints all over the polished floorboards of a house. As she quickly slipped off hers and placed them alongside she couldn't help but notice the staggering difference in size.

They were quickly guided to the lounge room and invited to sit before being offered refreshments that were quickly and politely refused. The lady glided over and settled on the edge of a wide couch across a tea-table from the two detectives who had both chose individual armrests.

"Emiko Seta-San I take it?" Naoto asked in English.

"Hai...that is correct." The lady nodded, and then proceeded to speak in Japanese. "You wish to speak to me about my son?"

"Yes." Naoto replied in the same language, flipping her notepad to a blank page. "I would like to start by asking if you have seen Souji-san since."

"No, he hasn't come home." The mother replied, with no hesitation but in a slightly forced voice. Naoto reflected on what her watch had implied and wondered if she was being lied to. "We haven't seen him since the police took him away...almost a week ago." The mother continued. "I've been staying home for the last couple of days to see if he comes back, but so far, no."

"I see..." Naoto murmured, jotting notes down in short-script. "Has he ever disappeared like this before?"

"No." The mother replied quickly before amending. "Well whenever he stays elsewhere he usually tells us first."

"Elsewhere?"

"...Like with that young lady."

Naoto paused, pen nib resting dryly in a faint groove. "Sandy Charlton? The girlfriend? Do you think he might be staying with her?"

The mother slowly shook her head. "I have called; they said he is not there."

"Can you please tell me about their relationship?" Naoto asked, before cringing in realisation at how prying that question was.

The mother hesitated before answering. "Eto...I only met her about a month ago. I don't know how long they've been seeing each other. She is a Gaijin, studies Biochemistry. They claimed to have met in one of his debates. I'm not that certain with the...details of their relationship."

"I understand." Naoto quickly assured her, "I just want to know if it's true that they have since broken up."

The mother's eyes opened in surprise. That's a no then? Or more likely he didn't share that much detail with his parents.

"Do you have a photograph of her?"

She shook her head. "No, but Souji might have one in his room. She would be the one with the long brown hair and blue eyes."

Naoto gave a quick nod. "Well then if it's possible I'd like to have a look around his room. If I can prove he had broken up with his girlfriend when he said he did it would throw dissention to his suspicion."

The mother promptly agreed.

Nathan had been sitting quietly through the entire foreign lingual exchange not quite following, but scrambled up from his seat when he saw that everyone else did. Eventually he realised they were not heading in the direction of the front door and was quite surprised when they were directed further inside.

"So...what did I miss?" He asked, unsure as to how this turn of events came about.

"I convinced Mrs Seta to let us take a look around the suspect's room." Naoto replied with her hand on hip as she surveyed her surroundings.

Back turned to Nathan she slipped on her felt-lined linen gloves that were usually tucked in her inner coat pocket. Although not strictly speaking a type of glove endorsed in investigative fieldwork, she found it was excellent for the specific purpose of avoiding contact trace when handling objects.

Latex gloves were far more commonly used as they were one of the only gloves able to prevent contact contamination when dealing with a biological substance, however they still tended leave palm marks when pressed against a surface. Naoto also carried several pairs of those glove types on her person, but for the purpose of this investigation she saw no need to suffer the discomfort. She avoided leather like the plague as they were by far the worst to use; the oils from the animal skin caused the ridges upon the gloves to imprint like a fingerprint.

Nathan stared quizzically as the young detective proceeded to sort through the books stacked and sorted on the desk. "Are you sure this is the suspect's room? It's...rather neat..."

"Yes. I'm sure." Naoto answered through a grimace.

"Umm what are we looking for?" he asked hesitantly.

Naoto looked up from a folder of hand written notes that appeared to be from lectures of previous years. "We are looking for any evidence that supports or refutes the suspect's alibi for the first case."

Nathan pulled an 'oh I see' face then proceeded to pull open the wardrobe door.

"Detective Evans! Gloves!" Naoto ordered, causing the older detective to hesitate and look sheepish.

"I didn't bring any..."

Naoto sighed and pulled out a pair of latex gloves and offered it to the buffoon.

Nathan took one look at it and refused, "But they're too small..."

"Then use it as padding!"

* * *

><p>Souji's room had been set up in such a way that his very large desk was tucked into a corner of his room on the far wall opposite to the door, which also sported a large window positioned so that the middle of the desk would be directly lit while the sun was up.<p>

A desktop sat nestled in the dark shade of the corner, hard-drive tucked snugly in a custom built shelf under the desk. Next to the computer were stacks upon stacks of notes and printed research articles. Yet despite all the sheets atop the desk there seemed to have been similar amount under it, more specifically scrunched up and thrown in a bin which had 'recycling' scrawled across it in a black marker.

A book marked novel sat on the other far corner of the desk, a light film of dust coated the cover. Above the desk, framed and stuck with double sided adhesive tape to the wall was a bartending certificate, dated quite recently.

In the gap between that desk and the wall to the left side was a single bed, lined perfectly perpendicular to the desk and tucked so snugly in the corner that it looked like a Tetris piece. Facing perpendicular to the bed, hanging on the opposite wall was a large flat screen TV, hung well above Naoto's standing height.

A large wardrobe jutted out from the wall opposite the window next to the door, fitting in a way so that it created a miniature hallway around the entrance. Beside it, edged into the corner so that it stood perfectly parallel to the desk was a large bookcase, lowest four rows stacked with various books, some educational, but most recreational. The top two shelves however...

"Hey Detective Shiro! Look at this!"

Naoto cringed with annoyance. Shiro was what people usually nicknamed pets. She turned to see Detective Evans holding a photo-frame using the latex glove to pad it like a hotdog wrapper.

"This kid looks just like you!"

Naoto blanched as she dashed across the room and literally snatched the photo from his hands. She paused, and the look of panic was quickly replaced with irritation.

The photo was of Souji standing with another Asian man, both dressed in basketball Jerseys indicating they were from different universities. The rival player had a slender build and a feminine face as well as an almost regal bearing, but one look could tell his black hair had a different tinge of highlight to Naoto's and was much taller than she would ever be.

She had the funny feeling she seen the young man before...

Oh that's right...

He was in basketball club with Souji back in Inaba. They used to hang around with that soccer player.

Still, Naoto thought, didn't look anything like her.

As she stood on her tiptoes to push the photo frame back on the top shelf she brooded to herself that the American was probably implying that all Asians looked alike. Still she was glad it wasn't what she thought it was...

Naoto stepped back to observe the photographs on display upon the bookshelf, all placed high above her eyelevel. She was relieved that none of the frames displayed the picture of the Inaba investigation team. Relieved but...

Naoto shook her head, silently reprimanding herself, he evidently moved on nicely, and so did she.

She stared up at the photographs with a steely expression. He never had photographs on display back in Inaba...he had model mechs instead. But back then he never stayed very long in one place. Friends must have been hard to make and harder to keep.

She observed that every photo, barring the one with him Dojima and Nanako, were all recent. There was a frame with his university basketball team, one with his debating team, some with people Naoto would assume to be friends, his parents and... There was a frame without a photo.

"The suspect's photo in the police report." Naoto indicated the barren frame and asked. "Do you know if it taken from a developed photograph?"

Nathan shrugged. "I don't know. But if you're thinking that the police took a photo from the frame, I'm pretty sure they didn't. They'd take the frame with them."

Naoto's eyes widened in surprise, she had not expected the newbie detective to speak with sound logic. She gave him a small smile of approval before opening her notepad once more to jot down the disparity with the photographs.

Of the photos on display, nobody among them matched the description of the girlfriend... If it were true he broke up with her then he'd likely discard it...

In a strike of inspiration Naoto dove under the desk to wrestle the large paper bin from under. She began digging through the trash, carefully looking at every piece smaller than A4 or stiffer than the soft cover of a book.

Nathan watched on briefly, before finally drifting away to do something more interesting. He hovered over to the alcohol serving certificate hanging on the wall, muttered to nobody in particular about the amusing concept of psychologists tending bars, then apparently sated with the novelty of the idea he drifted over to the large desk. Pulling open the drawers he began to sift through the contents from the bottom up, careful not to touch anything with his skin.

"Heh heh, well I think it's safe to say he had a girlfriend." He chuckled. "He has a half-full box of rubbers in here."

Naoto failed to see how erasers were relative to the indication of a relationship and glanced up curiously, then promptly blushed crimson when she realised what the American had actually meant. She quickly buried herself back in the paper trash before he spotted her colour change.

A small scrap of stiff paper caught Naoto's eye. She caught it and held it to the light, seeing what looked to be part of a human arm printed on the fragment of stiff photographic paper. Encouraged Naoto rattled the bin violently, spilling some of the content in the process. She parted the crumpled papers as she dove right to the bottom of the pile to collect the fragments of the torn photograph that had gravimetrically sifted to the bottom.

"Proof..." She muttered, with a hint of a smile. In her hands she held just two pieces, one of a smiling Souji, and the other of a glamorous brunette.

Naoto felt a twinge of anxiety as she observed the carefully styled curled hair and the professionally painted and manicured nails of the Caucasian beauty... Souji had a type all along...

And if the photograph of a woman like this ended up in this state, what would Naoto's photos have...

She rubbed her eyes on her sleeve hurriedly, furious with herself for putting on such displays with others in the vicinity.

"Oh my goodness! Ha-ha... The guy has a toy police badge!"

Naoto froze.

She slowly turned to Nathan with a look of disbelief.

In his hand he held a shiny badge, turning it in the grey light filtering through the window, looking at it with a curious smile. "It's made really well too! I almost thought it was real!"

Naoto stood up slowly, staring in disbelief at the badge. A crest was printed dead centre of the piece, carved to look like the star symbol of the Japanese police; only this one was smooth not serrated. Decorated in a fancy banner pattern above and below it were the words 'Honorary Detective' etched in Japanese.

"Ha-ha! Oh wow! It flashes too!" Nathan chuckled after he pressed the button on the back then froze, glancing at Naoto nervously, expecting to be reprimanded.

Instead what he saw was an incredibly stunned expression plastered over the tiny detective's feminine face.

"Uh detective?" He ventured nervously.

Naoto snapped out of her shock, "Where did you find it?"

"At the back of the first drawer..." Nathan answered. "Why? Do you think it's relevant?"

Naoto didn't answer, instead she rushed to yank the drawer out of its socket and proceeded to sift through the contents. She stopped when her hand landed on a cloth satchel, pulled tight over something thin and cylindrical. With shaking fingers she unthreaded the draw strings, and allowed the content to slide out.

Her eyes widened as an ebon pen emerged, an engraving gleamed dully upon a metallic brass ring banded around its middle.

In a snap she shoved the pen back into the satchel and pulled it up tight.

"What was it?" Nathan asked leaning over the small detective, trying to get a glimpse of the object.

Naoto carefully tucked the satchel back where she found it, answering in a weak voice "It was... just a pen."

* * *

><p>The drive back to the station was a lot more tolerable for Nathan, as he was able to coax Naoto into joining a conversation rather than just delivering a monologue. He noted that she was in a better mood, much better than she had been earlier that day. He concluded that it must be due to the euphoria that comes with a successful investigation. At the moment he was listening, having managed to convince the introverted detective to divulge details of her studies abroad.<p>

"My English is thus due to attending university in London." Naoto explained. "They are said to have the greatest knowledge in the application of crime scene investigation. My grandfather had spent most of his academic years studying criminology and forensics there so when I finished my high school obligations I decided the same. I had only graduated one year prior."

"But...aren't you a Japanese detective?" Nathan asked, enjoying the atmosphere of an easy conversation.

"I am. I had already mastered criminal law in Japan. I travelled to England to acquire skill."

Nathan gave a huge lopsided grin. "Looks like that means you've just about visited every English speaking country there is!" He let his statement sit for a second, before bursting out in laughter at Naoto's disbelieving expression. "I'm joking I'm joking! You still got Canada to go!"

Naoto gave a small bemused smile and hoped dearly he was joking yet again.

The American glanced at his passenger quickly, pleased to see a positive reaction. His grin retracted a little as he sunk briefly into contemplation.

"Hey Naoto?"

"Hn?" She prompted, not bothering to point out that they were technically still on duty.

"How about after work today I take you out to see the sights? You can't come all the way out here without seeing anything."

Naoto gave him a small smile. "Thank you for the thought but I wish to use tonight to finish with the evidence report."

"Hey we don't have to stay out for long!" The talkative detective quickly amended. "Hell we could just go out for a quick drink. I know this one bar that's a great location for picking up girls!"

"Erm..." Naoto blanched. "N-no thank you."

Nathan's head swivelled around with an oddly cheerful expression on his face. "Not into girls?"

"No! I mean yes- No, I didn't mean-!" Naoto floundered, burning red in her seat.

"Hey, hey! It's ok! I'm cool about that!" Nathan said with a wink. "In fact I can take you to another bar that more suits your taste!"

Naoto instantly flushed crimson and turned to face her passenger side window, glaring stubbornly at the cars cruising beside them.

"Hey come on. Don't take it badly... I just thought since you're a really pretty guy..."

Naoto refused to even spare him a glance. They remained locked in that awkward silence for the remainder of the drive.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Beep<strong>_

Naoto sat up startled. Nathan glanced over curiously as he pulled into a parking spot behind the police station.

Before the car even pulled to a complete stop Naoto unfastened her seatbelt and leapt out the open door, staring intently up both ends of the lot.

She glanced at her wristwatch which flashed '14m' before slowly ticking down in distance.

Naoto looked up in a start, staring again down both ways and seeing nothing, but still the distance decreased.

As it ticked down to '1m' and fall below, Naoto glanced up without much vigour.

There was no way the watch was accurate...

Since she was taller than a meter so there was not much chance someone could be that close while standing underground below her either.

"What's wrong?" Nathan asked as he stepped out of the car.

Naoto shook her head. "Nothing, my watch was malfunctioning."

* * *

><p><strong>Glossary<strong>

Hai: Yes

Eto: Equivalent to 'Um'

Hn?: The Japanese version of hm? It actually sounds a little different if you pay close attention.

Gaijin: Foreigner/Non-Japanese

Rubber: Well... let's just say don't expect the same thing in America as you would in England or Australia.

Concerning criminology, there is a saying. Go to England to get educated, go to America to get experience, then back to Australia to take it easy.

Fanboy Kharta has created a very artsy title page for this fanfic. Check it out. Link is on the top of my profile page.

A thank you to my Beta reader and video game reviewer Jahan. If anyone is into video games take a look at his reviews on the PALGN site. Needless to say he did the Persona 4 review. Find the link to the persona 4 review on my profile page.

Disclaimer: I do not own Persona. If I did Naoto would be in the anime trailers already... I know the trailers are matched to the days of midnight channel appearance but seriously! NOT EVEN A PEAK?

Next update on the 19th of August:

Fortune: End to Beginnings

_Life flows on like a turning wheel,_

_Hinging on what luck anele. _


	8. Fortune: End to Beginnings

Fate or Fortune

Fortune: End to Beginnings

_Life flows on like a turning wheel,_

_Hinging on what luck anele. _

**Monday, March 20****th**** 2012**

**Inaba; Japan**

The great churning clouds cleared away as bright light poured in. Fresh air assaulted the senses as Naoto stood, head swimming in a blanket of dizziness, stunned by the sudden contrast in the brightness of her surroundings.

All she could do was stare in wonder as the world around her came into focus. It was so incredibly changed.

The great platform upon which she had stood mere moments before fell away without her noticing, and was then replaced by lush green grass.

She heard the sound of running water close by, but it took a while before her eyes had adjusted enough to see the crystal clear stream.

All around her a beautiful natural land spread into focus.

Naoto glanced around completely disorientated. Where a lake now stood was once a great misty pit in which a colossal undead goddess had knelt:

Izanami.

Where was she? Naoto glanced around in a panic, but quickly calmed as she caught sight of her friends.

Nobody was harmed.

She breathed out a silent sigh of relief. They stood around, looking about as confused as she felt and every bit as relieved.

Did that mean they won?

The last vestments of memory Naoto had of the battle were that of Izanami refusing to die. No matter how many times they slammed her with their Personas she persisted. Even when the group had run themselves to the point of pure exhaustion she still stood, seemingly unfazed.

In the end, when victory seemed impossible, when physically exhausted and morale worn down to the brink of breaking, Izanami dealt the final blow, aimed directly at Souji.

The ground beneath him had glowed a blackish red. Rotting skeletal hands reached from below, grasping.

Naoto did not think. She reacted instinctively.

She reached out and shoved him from their writhing clutches.

She remembered seeing the look of horror on his face as he fell backwards, away from danger, and watched helplessly as she fell forward into darkness, her consciousness following her into the black fade.

When Naoto came-to, she could barely comprehend what had transpired. Her head was buzzing with tinnitus and nausea.

She looked with bleary eyes to Souji who stared straight ahead, determination and fading anguish set in his eyes, no longer shielded by glasses. Following his line of sight Naoto did a double take, horrified by the fact that the colossus was still standing. However slowly, she realised Izanami no longer stood with her commanding presence. It almost seemed like she had somehow diminished.

Through the ringing in her ears, she heard muffled words being exchanged and the saw rather than heard the dissent expressed by her friends. As the form of the undead goddess lit up with billowing power, words finally pierced Naoto's cluttered mind.

"Children of man... Well done!"

With an ear-splitting shriek her body vanished entirely, leaving no evidence of the colossal being behind.

They had won.

Everyone crowded around Souji, euphoric, shouting in celebration. It's over. They won!

Naoto couldn't help but add her sentiments, glancing at Souji with a smile. "It seems more like a beginning for us, though."

He smile back, albeit strained, and he quickly turned to acknowledge Yosuke, who was redirecting his attention with words of his own.

That was the moment when Naoto experienced the second shift in reality. The world around her grew incredibly bright and the paved floors fell away. With a sudden panic she thought the world was falling apart, but when her feet touched soft springy ground and her eyes began to adjust she shook off her confusion, then realised the world had simply rearranged itself.

"I know this place. This scenery." Teddie spoke, his voice coated in awe as he glanced around through his glazed button eyes. "A long, long time ago, everywhere in this world used to look like this."

Naoto came to a realisation with gasp of her own echoing the same awe. She realised that, much like what they had all experienced...

The world was restoring to its true self.

Glancing up the stunned teenagers caught the tail end of a soft breeze that blew past, bringing with it a sparkling trail. All around them were signs of peaceful beauty. Little wisps of light flittered by, the sweet chirping of birds sounded where there were no birds, and they even heard the faintest hint of a child's laughter.

The shining wisps danced about the surface of the crystal lake, making no ripples with their ethereal forms. They brushed through the trees, the leaves rustling in the breeze that flowed.

Was this the true form of this world before lies and denial twisted it?

Naoto smiled, turning to Souji, and found him standing several paces away, staring mesmerised but eyes scrunched in a frustrated frown in juxtaposition to the clarity surrounding them.

He turned to regard her, their eyes suddenly meeting, but Naoto's smile faded, her heart thumping to a still when she saw the doubt inscribed there. Without a word he slipped back on a smiling mask and joined in with the celebrations.

But that smile never reached his eyes.

* * *

><p>"Bye Naoto-kun!"<p>

Naoto waved as she detached from her group of friends at the edge of the market district.

She managed to take five steps up the cherry blossom petal covered path, before she realised someone had followed after her. She suspected who it was but did not turn back or slow down, instead keeping the pace of her usual brisk stride forcing him to catch up to her.

"Naoto?" Of course that didn't take long considering the difference between the lengths of their legs.

"Senpai." She answered, a little hesitant and confused by the mellow distance in his eyes.

Souji gave a wan smile, replying to her unvoiced question, "don't worry, I told them I was coming with you to get a book you borrowed off me."

"Which book?"

"The 'Man's Life' series."

"What?"

"I was _thiiiis _close to telling them you borrowed 'Witch Detective'. Be grateful."

Naoto choked back an indignant cry, prompting Souji to laugh aloud with real humour.

They walked side by side, continuing on the familiar path they usually took to her house.

The chatter they indulged in was idle, but Naoto could feel there was more between them hanging unsaid. She knew she didn't have to worry about him expressing himself. Souji would say what was on his mind when he felt like it.

But even so, the prospect was weighing down on her mind like stones in a fishing net.

Still the fair-haired youth would say nothing, except joke and banter on, seemingly unaware of the tension hanging between them.

After a few minutes, Souji adopted a serious expression. "I'm leaving tomorrow." he began, immediately causing his lover to stiffen. "And I would like you to finally answer my question." She looked up at him, trying to gauge his expression. "Tell me... What is your real name?"

Naoto almost collapsed with annoyance. "We are not talking about that again!" He was playing with her!

"Oh come on!" Souji flashed his winning smile. "You couldn't have been named Naoto at birth! I think your parents would have realised you weren't a boy."

"Not talking about this! Change of subject!"

"Is it Naoko?"

"No!"

"Naomi?"

"No!"

"Nao-?"

The guess caught in Souji's throat under his displeased girl's intense glare. "Okay, new topic..."

Naoto turned to face straight ahead, lips tugging downwards almost in a pout. She was still new to the whole idle chit-chat part of socialisation and found the process utterly exhausting, especially if the other participant was being deliberately evasive on purpose.

It was times like these that made the young detective wish she had a dark room and a bright light to shine in his face.

Souji glanced at Naoto, spotting her now full-blown pout, and attempted once more to engage in conversation.

"How about you indulge me in a curiosity I have about a rumour I heard?" he ventured, prompting a glance from the slightly sullen detective. "A rumour about you."

Naoto's eyes narrowed with suspicion. "Rumour?"

"One that I heard a while back. Before I got to know you." Souji stated with a smile.

"Senpai, you know better than to lend credence to idle gossip."

"True." He acknowledged. "But I found the basis surpassed my scepticism." He paused. "Is it true you're half-half British?"

The detective's eyebrows shot up. "Where did you hear that?"

"Back when you were the hottest topic in Inaba, I picked it up while chatting around town."

She quirked an eyebrow at him. "And... what do you think?"

Souji paused in contemplation. "I think it's plausible." He glanced at her, trying to gauge her expression. "The original rumour being that both your parents were half British and half Japanese."

His hand suddenly shot out, cupping the side of her cheek causing her to freeze mid-step.

"It's your eyes." Souji murmured as his thumb traced above her light lashes.

Naoto quickly took a step back burning red, glancing around quickly to assure herself no one saw.

When she locked eyes with Souji again he sported a strange irritated expression on his face.

He dropped eye contact and turned back to the path. "...Your grey eyes. I thought by the very basics of genetic inheritance, you'd have to be an offspring of two carriers. Since brown eyes is the dominant phenotype..."

Souji's sentence trailed off as Naoto's rented townhouse loomed into sight. She stopped at the front door, turning to the suddenly silent young man, her eyes not quite meeting his.

"Naoto...may I come in?"

Her eyebrows shot up in surprise. "Uhh..." She glanced quickly at the closed door, apparently alarmed by what lay beyond that. "M-my commorancy is currently not presentable."

"I don't mind," Souji gave a reassuring smile, laced with bemusement.

Naoto appeared to briefly struggle with a decision before finally relenting. She unlocked the door and invited him to enter.

Upon stepping through the door the astute young man immediately realised why his lover had never invited him in before.

"I understand the freedom of living alone has drawbacks?" Souji joked, glancing at the quickly reddening Naoto.

They had stepped through the front door and into a disaster zone. Her living room, half the size of the Dojima's, was in literal chaos. Only a single chair with a steel frame and cushioned seat support stood on the living room floor, which was a strange thing to exist in a room with no dining table.

Although the room only possessed the one furnishing, it was completely occupied by a jumble of wires and tools, many of which were stacked upon the plush cushion of the seat.

To the far wall was a large metal slate banked across several wooden blocks to make a low riding table much like the one at the Dojima residence. Upon it stood a solder head, plugged into an overly large surge protector, several precision tools, a bench-light and an adjustable hands-free magnifying glass, as well as a scattering of assorted electronics at various stages of disassembly. Littered around the vicinity of the 'table' were more of the various aforementioned items, placed in no particular organisation schematic. Souji managed to spot one item he could still somewhat recognise... A toaster...

"I love what you've done with the place." Souji remarked with a smirk, placing his shoes at the entrance then picked his way across the room for an open door.

"I told you it- hey! Stop! Don't go in there!" Naoto dropped her shoes with a clatter and chased after him.

"I'm glad to see the microwave survived." His voice rang from the kitchen, laced with mirth.

The crimson detective rushed inside, indignant and embarrassed, just in time to see Souji's head poking into the refrigerator, snooping without a hint of shame.

"Two takeaways from Aiya...and more frozen up top? _Honestly_ Naoto..."

Naoto couldn't string a retort together. She just stood there, in the door way, stuttering with embarrassment as Souji picked is way around the only two appliances in the kitchen.

"Wow... I knew you didn't like throwing things away but wow..." Souji muttered in astonishment as he opened the cupboard and instead of bowls or plates there were stack upon stacks of take away containers of assorted sizes. This was but an extension of the enormous hoard of take-away containers piled next to and on top of the microwave.

Souji paused upon opening a drawer. His look of surprise caused Naoto to fear he had discovered her collection of disposable chopsticks.

Instead he pulled out a thin glossy covered book, grinning in amusement.

"A children's cook book? Ah now I understand how you managed those chocolates."

Naoto remembered the preparation being a complete disaster. As simple as melting chocolate into moulds sounded, it was highly deceptive. It burned, it spilled and it made a damnable mess literally everywhere.

...Although if she had followed the instructions properly and heated the chocolate up on the water bath like it said she could have saved herself a lot of grief and clean up.

It took several tries for her to get it right, but when she did manage to package them up nicely...she remembered Souji's own cooking skills...and ended up losing her nerve, resulting in her unceremoniously shoving the present into his hands and not staying to hear the verdict.

Too late did she realise she didn't even do _that_ right, as she discovered there was an actual _day _for handing out chocolates...and she had missed it.

"They were meant for Valentine's Day..." Naoto murmured, reddening again at the memory.

"I know, and I answered on White day, remember?"

"White...day?" What on earth was that? She exclaimed internally.

"...Five days ago? I made a big dessert lunch...?"

"O-oh..." Naoto just nodded, confusion written all over her face.

"...Never mind." Souji relented with a smile, giving her a friendly clap on the shoulder as he passed, exiting the kitchen, heading straight for her bedroom door.

Naoto quickly made a grab for his arm, to which he reacted just a fraction faster, slipping from her grasp and hopping a few paces forward, grinning back playfully. He pushed his palm into the door, causing it to swing forward and taking the handle away from Naoto's grasping fingers.

She visibly cringed as Souji took in the full view of the disaster site of her bedroom.

It made the living room look positively organised.

By the door her entire Inaba case note collection lay scattered, all the way from their origin at the foot of the wardrobe. She had piled it there the night before but it seemed that when she went to get her uniform in the morning she had knocked the little mountain of paper over.

She had been meaning to tidy them up properly...like piling them in a box...

A small flat screen television hung between the door and the wardrobe, overlooking the chaos below. In the opposite corner stood a mountain of books and paper, mostly school-related with a desk buried somewhere beneath it all.

There didn't appear to be a bookshelf in the room...instead various textbooks, mostly pertaining to the forensic sciences and several crime fiction novels stood piled at the table leg close to the wall.

Literally the most organised thing in the room was the western-style bed placed down the centre, but even that was unmade and had two books floating somewhere in the folds of the blanket. The pillow was adjusted a little further from down the bed as to fit a laptop at the head, between the pillow and the wall. Thrown haphazardly on the edge was a set of surprisingly colourful pyjamas.

"Oh my goodness! Featherman R!" Souji exclaimed in laughter as he picked up the ornamented pyjamas, fuelled further by Naoto's obvious embarrassment. "I really want to see you in these!"

The embarrassed teen quickly snatched them from her lover's hands and shoved them unceremoniously into the wardrobe. She stood with her back turned, pulling her hat down low hiding her reddened face.

"Haha. Sorry." Souji apologised insincerely, still trying to contain his laughter. "That was just...unexpected."

Naoto was not amused.

"Well you certainly wouldn't have told me..." He remarked, smile fading as he lapsed into contemplation.

Naoto glanced at him, feeling suddenly anxious again.

"Hey Naoto..." Souji began, all trace of his previous good humour gone. "I've been thinking..." He paused, blushing, something the girl in question had never seen before. "I've been thinking...about the future."

Naoto looked at him confused, prompting him to continue.

He hesitated for a moment, seeming to gathering himself, yet again something not seen before. "I've been thinking about us... Our future..."

A pressing silence fell between them. Souji was actually the one looking embarrassed this time.

"I know we've discussed it..." He continued, breaking the silence. "Long distance..." He shook his head. "Well we'll certainly never run the risk of anyone finding out." He muttered scathingly.

"You don't want-?"

"I do! ...But I want you to tell me. Where do you see us in the future?"

"I-... I don't understand."

"Will you ever allow people to know about us? Or will we always sneak around like a couple of kids?" Naoto flinched at that remark, but made no rebuttal, feeling anxious as Souji glanced off to the side, a sad smile on his lips. "It always made me feel like you were embarrassed about us."

Naoto gave a start of surprise, was this bothering Souji all this time? "Senpai..." She didn't know how to reassure him.

"And you died today..." The young man muttered. "Right in front of me..." He reached out a hand and cupped it to Naoto's cheek, thumb stroking her soft skin. This time she didn't tear away. "You're such a hypocrite..." he sighed.

Naoto reached up and touched her fingers to his hand, pressing it against her cheek. "I knew...you would succeed."

"But you didn't know that I would bring you back..." he shook his head with a pained grimace, then suddenly pulling her forward into his chest, holding her tight. "I thought I lost you."

Naoto buried her head in his shirt as her cap slipped off, disrupting the papers as it fell to the floor.

"Naoto..." Souji murmured into her ear. "When we finish high school... Lets meet again. At university..." He pulled back, a wry smile on his face. "Tokyo University... What do you say?"

"Tokyo?" Naoto's eyes widened with surprise, then slowly a smile crept along her face. "Alright, Tokyo. Lets meet again in Tokyo!"

"This time, no more secrets?"

"No more."

Souji's face lit up, beaming with excitement. "Then I'll see you there in two years! No wait, one! Since come next year you'll be the same year as me... So don't call me Senpai anymore!"

"Then what do I call you?" Naoto asked with a grin, question obviously baited.

The grinning young man quirked his eyebrow, expression mirroring hers. "Call me Souji."

"Alright then...Souji." She whispered gripping the chequered collar of his uniform, pulling him lower. She stretched upwards, lips searching for his. He bent down further to oblige, drawing her into a deep kiss, allowing it to linger.

Slowly his lips slipped downwards, his fingers unbuttoning her top collar to expose the soft pale flesh of her neck. His lips traced across the tender flesh, nipping on it gently, causing her to shiver.

"Senpai!" Naoto exclaimed when he suddenly unexpectedly dropped far lower than her collarbone.

Souji paused, glancing up with his quirked smile. "Don't call me that anymore," then lifted her hat from the floor and waved it about. "Just picking this up."

Naoto made to take it as he quickly lifted it high above her reach, using his imposing height against her. He dropped it on his own head, purposely knocking it lopsided in compliment to his mischievous grin.

Placing both palms on her shoulders Souji nudged Naoto gently as he leant in to kiss, causing her to take a step back.

Her leg bumped against the bed-frame.

Their eyes met.

Naoto shivered at the intensity of her lover's gaze.

"Souji..." She whispered. "Don't you have to go home?"

"Check your watch." He replied.

"It's six-fifteen."

His mischievous grin broke forth once more. "I meant the other function."

* * *

><p>AN: Censorship thanks to Kharta. Thank you Kharta... for reducing my word count by more than a page! Nah I jest. I censored myself. He was encouraging me to actually continue. Well I'm not gonna push this fic into M-rating... but for anybody who wants the next scene check out Kharta's artwork I linked on my profile page. It's as good as a continuation as any :3 -Warning: Mature filter- You will need a dev art account to view it.

Fanboy Kharta has created a very artsy title page for this fanfic. Check it out. Link is on the top of my profile page.

A thank you to my Beta reader and video game reviewer Jahan. If anyone is into video games take a look at his reviews on the PALGN site. Needless to say he did the Persona 4 review. Find the link to the persona 4 review on my profile page.

Another thank you to my second Beta reader Bukala who has been graciously using his time to tutor me on how to fine-tune my writing skills. Not every fanfic writer gets such an opportunity to learn.

[Game of logic]** I am a supporter of the 'Naoto lives alone' theory. Alright this one is a bit controversial as there are some that believe her estate is in Inaba and some that believe, like me, that she lives away from home.**

**Here is my reasoning -**

**During the hotspring arc she had to tell her grandfather she was living at a friend's house, while that can be taken as her living with her grandpa, it can also be interpreted as her grandfather being a worrywart and forcing his precious granddaughter to call him everyday. As she had said more than once that her grandfather travels it is unlikely by all standards that she has to return home to grandpa. The same conclusion can be pulled about Naoto's first day at school when she refused the social offer by the investigation team in favour of promising her grandpa she's go straight home.**

**Further evidence that supports this is during her social link, the "Phantom Thief" incident. Naoto receives a call from Yakushiji about the phantom thief taking her stuff, yet when you ask her if she has to go home she replies she doesn't have time to do that and this case was far too important. One would assume if her estate was at Inaba she could have easily just went home... it wasn't like she and Souji were discussing the case in great detail just then.**

**The last piece of evidence I would like to submit is when she gets another card in her mailbox and she specifically points out that it means the Thief knew where she lived... yet if she had lived at the Estate one would assume she'd know the thief knew where she lived just because he had already robbed her.**

**That is all the evidence I can think off from the top of my head. People are welcome to support or refute them with evidence of their own.**

Disclaimer: I do not own Persona. If I did Naoto would have called at least once to ask to hang out like every other friend did...

Next update on the 2nd of September:

Hermit: Sceptical Faith

_Wise counsel choose to offer a hand, _

_Denied in pride to face demand._


	9. Hermit: Sceptical Faith

Fate or Fortune

Hermit: Sceptical Faith

_Wise counsel choose to offer a hand, _

_Denied in pride to face demand._

**Tuesday, March 21****st**** 2017 **

**San Diego; USA**

The heavy clouds that had overcast the day gathered in force by noon and split, spilling forth its deluge. The thrumming of the rain played a soothing rhythm to the backdrop of Naoto's twisting thoughts. She sat in one of the cubical desks by a window, the one belonging to Detective Evans. Her copy of the case files was opened to the first page of the evidence summary, but she left no mark upon her notepad. Naoto tapped her pen against the desk in a rhythm mimicking that of the rain, her train of thoughts taking her far from the case before her.

When the detectives had returned from the field, evidence bagged for hand-in, Peterman was not even the slightest bit pleased. But who could blame him? The evidence suggested his only suspect in the case might have actually had a solid alibi after all. Even though Naoto's evidence was by no means decisive, it at least opened the need to cross-check his alibi again. Surprisingly, Peterman agreed to it quickly, despite his obvious dissentions on the matter. Naoto suspected it was more to disprove the notion once and for all than to actually follow it up, though that might've been a little cynical of her.

Naoto had since been sitting at Nathan's desk, attempting to work through the rest of her notes but finding her mind in no state to cooperate. She was distracted by the implications of her findings, the one she submitted, and the other she replaced. He kept her gift to him...when she discarded his. He kept them all these years... Despite how they should have ended up broken and disposed like that photograph...like all the promises between them...

"Detective Shiro- ...Shirobi?"

Naoto snapped out of her daze, turning to acknowledge a grizzled older police officer.

"Yes?" Since she came in this morning her name had been butchered from each end of the alphabet. She didn't even bother correcting them anymore.

"You're wanted in the meeting room."

Naoto nodded and pulled herself up to her full unimpressive standing height, smoothing out the wrinkles on her coat. "Please lead the way."

* * *

><p>Several detectives occupied a few chairs in the first row of seats in a room set up almost like a lecture theatre. Around them gathered an assortment of police and forensics assigned to the case. Each of the personnel present held a thin folder of notes, some having a quick flip through while others opted to wait for the speaker.<p>

At the front by the door leant the newest member to their ranks, the young detective that was now assigned to 'assist' the foreign private eye. Nathan Evans had his back against the wall in exhaustion. Upon return he was ordered to get the case summary photocopied and distributed; no small task to be sure, but he somehow managed to get it done in just over half an hour. Peterman stood near him in front of the whiteboard mounted on the wall, rifling through the thin summary with a frown etched deeply into his brows.

As Naoto entered the conference room, the detectives muttered in surprise. They all heard about the youth of the hired help, however even then her stature did no justice to her already liberally accepted age.

Stepping to the front of the theatre, the miniature detective stood with her hand on her hip, regarding the crowd assembled with an air of surprising authority. "My name is Naoto Shirogane." She started without wasting any time. "I shall take everyone through the Inaba case."

She accepted the copy template from Nathan's outstretched hand and flipped to the first page, prompting the others in the room to mimic her action. "Before I begin, I would like to remind everyone that Japanese criminal law operates differently from that of America. Japan operates under Code law, in which burden of proof falls on the accused." Her eyes scanned across the crowd and registered several looks of familiarity with the notion. "However," she continued, "even with prior knowledge of Code Law this case might be difficult to follow. Please bear with me and if you have any questions I ask that you wait until conclusion."

Some of the detectives had their heads down, reading the page they were on, while others stared at the pint-sized detective intently, albeit whether it was due to the case or her unique look in general she could not tell.

Naoto glanced to the page, prompting most of room to do so as well. "First of all, the Modus Operandi of the original case, you have already seen as to be strikingly similar to the case at hand. The positions upon how the bodies were arranged as well as the lack of 'cause of death' are consistent. However the situations upon which the bodies were hung are not."

She paused and gestured to turn to the crime scene photographs printed upon the page, and then to the summary beneath them.

"Each body appeared upon days of fog, and the victims were all people who achieved abrupt fame through the local media outlet."

She quickly flipped a few pages forward.

"As I am aware you have most likely seen the report from the Inaba police department, I shall run through the victim reports just briefly. The murders of Mayumi Yamano and Saki Konishi were the only two official victims of this case. There was also a series of kidnappings related to this case, but not by the same perpetrator. The only one of such documented as relevant by the police was that of a young child, the last of the kidnapping victims. There also occurred a similar murder that was committed to resemble the first two, but was in actually in no way related. A simple copycat. Now, apart from the fact that there were no causes of death, and the unfortunate position the bodies were found in, there aren't any more similarities... Except your only suspect... Mr. Souji Seta."

Naoto paused again, taking in the expressions on the faces of those around her as they glanced through the pages she referenced. They did not seem terribly surprised to find that Souji was not part of the suspects listed. Although in actuality he was one of her original prime suspects, she had his name purposely omitted from the translated file. That lead was very obviously dead, and no matter how relevant to the current case it was there was no purpose in dredging it up except to mislead. Though she reflected this direction of her actions might yet again be another case of conflict of interest.

"Mr. Seta was not a suspect of the original case, as I am sure you are already aware from the official Inaba police report. Although... He was involved in the arrest of all three suspects. He was present at each arrest, being part of the group that had reported it, the same group each time and every arrest took place at the local department store."

The young detective paused with a wry smile on her face, knowing all too well that her older counterparts were wondering where she was going with this.

"I had found it suspicious too originally." She admitted and then quickly amended. "But soon realised his purpose had been to assist."

Naoto turned the page to the list of names she had written up while following leads on the disappearances in and around the Inaba region.

"What you see here are the names of people that had been reported missing within that timeslot that fit the pattern of disappearances upon the sudden gain of fame." She continued as she turned a page forward to display a greyscale scan of six names, next to which was a stapled paper with the names inscribed in English. "If you would refer to the scanned copies of the pages of relevance, this is the second arrested suspect Taro Namatame's diary, I have included a translated copy. You will note that their names are listed." Her own name had been written on that diary page; however she took the liberty of not having that transcribed into the translated copy. "It was understood they had been rescued through the efforts of Mr. Seta and in fact had become part of the group that since assisted him in such rescue and arrests."

A look was exchanged between the seated officers. Her explanation was not sitting well with them. Naoto didn't blame them; she too found the notion of civilian vigilante action objectionable.

"Detective, if I may?" One of the middle-aged men sitting up the front spoke up, a frown of scepticism plastered all over his face. "Are you saying a group of teenagers had confronted and overcome kidnappers and murderers...by themselves? Am I to understand Japan's laws do not permit the owning of weapons by civilians?"

Naoto gave a tight grimace, sympathising with his disbelief. "That is correct."

"Then how-?"  
>She quickly interjected his predictable question with, "Although I have not the means to explain to you how."<p>

"But you were present for two out of three of the arrests; you were first on the scene, credited for two of the arrests by the official police statement. Even the rescue and recovery of the last kidnapping victim was credited to you."

Figures... In her drive for fame she'd managed to trap herself into an embarrassingly unexplainable position. Add the fact that Dojima was incredibly grateful for the rescue of his daughter probably resulted in the further over-decoration of her involvement.

Naoto sighed inwardly. "Detective...?"

"Owen Bentley."

"Well Detective Bentley... I assume you have read both suspect statements regarding their methods?"

"Pushing people into TVs?"

She gestured with a shrug "As such, this case cannot be rationally explained. The charges stuck on confession. Towards the end we managed to gather up enough circumstantial evidence to convict on Code Law even if the confession was withdrawn, however, I am not confident it would have worked out so well had we tried him under American Common law."

"Are you saying you could not put forth any irrefutable evidence?"

"That is correct." Naoto answered with a grimace. "You have seen the conditions you will be working with. There is literally no way you would be able to connect the murder to the perpetrator through the bodies themselves. The only thing you can rely on to build the case would be an enormous amount of circumstantial evidence, and hope for a swayable jury." Her expression set to one of determination as she continued. "Do not focus solely on the murder; the only irrefutable evidence you can possibly obtain would be regarding the kidnapping. That is where I suggest you focus your investigation."

One glance around the room immediately tipped Naoto off at how her credibility had just hit rock bottom. Even Nathan seemed to have shrunk in on himself.

* * *

><p>"– Some kid! Doesn't even know what he's doing! Can't even do what he was hired for!"<p>

A familiar voice drifted from over a cubical not far from the one Naoto had borrowed off Nathan, piercing the hubbub of the precinct's ambient commotion.

Naoto kept her head down, appearing to focus on the evidence summary before her, all the while eavesdropping on the proceedings of her reputational funeral.

"He volunteered to do more than he was paid." Another voice answered, hushed in a way that forced the detective in question to strain her ears.

"Right, and I'll bet his 'expertise' would take us far..." the first voice dropped low to match belatedly.

"Look, unless you have a better idea there's no point arguing." The second voice rose slightly, making Naoto realise with a start that it was Peterman. "We're keeping budget and gaining manpower."

"It's only a gain if he's reliable! So far what has he done for us? He doesn't know his own case! And in the space of a morning was able to take apart ours too!"

"It's better to deal with the suspect's alibi today than find doubt in court. A second questioning now is better than worse."

"I wouldn't be surprised if he was batting for the other team! You know how it's like with these people-!"

A third voice joined in, one unmistakably loud. "Wow Owen, way to be a racist asshole."

"Racism has nothing to do with it Evans! It's a fact that ethnic groups tend to look out for their own!"

"Indeed?" The third voice retorted. "Then I suppose that would make it incredibly difficult for him to practice within his own country."

"Barely made detective and you're already giving me lip? I've been a detective for over ten years, you've what? A week? So why don't you go back to babysitting and leave the work to _real_ men."

The third voice came back strong. "Oh? Now you're being a homophobic asshole?"

"Babysitting that pedo-bait pretty-boy should be your dream come true!"

"That's enough you two!" Peterman cut across before the conflict could escalate. "Detective Bentley, I know you have issues but for now I ask you to cope with it and do as you're asked."

An uneasy silence fell, casting the entire room stark silent, Naoto wasn't the only one listening in.

After a tense few seconds Owen finally answered. "...Fine. I'll question that girl again. Still a damned waste of my time!"

The relative silence persisted for a moment, probably to allow the fuming detective out of earshot before Peterman rounded on Nathan as well. "Detective Evans. You will show your fellow officers respect. Do I make myself clear?"

"But he was being-!"

"Do I make myself _clear_?"

"...Yes sir..."

Naoto kept her head down as the reprimanded detective dragged himself over to his cubical. Nathan stood silently beside for a few moments before finally speaking in a slightly subdued tone. "I know you heard all that."

"What?" Feigning innocence Naoto glanced up, responding a little too quickly.

The tall detective gave a feeble smile at her obvious ruse. "I may be the new guy but even I can tell that when a person is bent over in apparent concentration, yet not moving their pen, that it's a clear sign of eavesdropping."

"I wouldn't call it eavesdropping when being unable to avoid overhearing." She relented.

"Eh heh... What a way to showcase our tolerance..." Nathan sighed as he leant against the desk. "We're not all that racist. I swear."

"That does not bother me..." The impassive detective responded, and then paused momentarily before asking. "What does he mean by 'pretty-boy'?"

Nathan visibly cringed, then turned to her with a sheepish grin. "We don't mean- you're not- I mean-"

"We?"

Nathan rubbed the back of his head, looking incredibly uncomfortable. "Don't take it badly...but you look a little like a girl."

Naoto sat up rigid in alarm.

"N-not that there's anything wrong with that." Nathan quickly amended, worried that the reaction of his young counterpart was due to offence. "I mean it's your fine bone structure. It gives you a feminine... Sorry. I didn't mean to offend..."

"I'm not offended." Naoto said calmly, hiding her relief.

"Of course. I mean how many guys would kill for your looks?" Blurted the loud American, not hiding his relief half as well. "Heck girls would too! I'll bet you're hell as popular among girls-! Or guys. Whichever you prefer. I mean-!"

Naoto held out her palm to silence the torrent of chatter. "You do not need to elaborate."

"You get uncomfortable whenever I mention...that." Nathan rubbed his elbow awkwardly. "Do you have something against...?"

"No." She answered quickly.

"Oh good." With a hint of relief Nathan's smile lit up again. "Then...are you...?"

"No." With a tone of finality Naoto turned back to her work, indicating that the conversation was over.

"I just thought that...since you didn't react at all when that pretty lady tried to flirt with you in the hotel lobby..."

Naoto shot him an annoyed look. She never seemed to grow out of her ability to attract females... At first she assumed it was just the age-group of her peers that caused them to crush on her to the point of insanity, even after the dramatic revelation of her true gender. Then she realised it was never going to get any better...

"Oh!" Nathan suddenly perched up straight, pounding his fist into his palm. "I get it! You have someone waiting for you back home!"

... Naoto couldn't even begin to answer...

"No wonder you're so well behaved! You don't want to get in trouble with the missus?"

"No! That's not... I choose to not get involved." She replied, rubbing her temples.

"Oh?" A sly smile spread across Nathan's face. "So you're not spoken for?"

"Or ever will be."

His face fell. "What? Oh come on! How would you know you don't like it if you don't try it?"

"What are you talking about?" Naoto asked, before suddenly lighting up bright red, "W-wait! I don't want to know!"

"I'm talking about love! Yeesh, mind in the gutter..." Nathan quipped, delighted at the reaction he managed to extract. "Let me take you out... Maybe you could meet someone... Who knows?"

"No thank you Detective Evans." Naoto spoke firmly, quite aware their conversation was attracting attention from the people around them. Either the loud detective didn't notice or he didn't care.

"But isn't trying new things the hallmark of the learned?"

The young detective held her palm out, hushing him. "I know for certain...that it is a complication that I do not need in my life." Somewhere in the background a wager was passed between the hands of several individuals.

A puzzled frown crept back over Nathan's features and he pursued it no more.

Naoto turned her focus back to her work, analysing the evidence regarding the first victim. As she put her pen to paper, her pen gave one last splutter and upon her furious scribbling finally rolled over and died. The American detective wordlessly passed her one of his pens from the jar on his table, which his Japanese counterpart accepted with a nod of thanks, then quickly realised it was one of those cheap hundred yen pens that tended to blotch.

As Naoto wrestled with the crappy piece of stationary, Nathan spotted the suspect profile hanging half out from the folder. He reached for it, noticing something strange on the photo. A print pressed over the face, like someone covered it intentionally. He glanced over at Naoto's thumb and sized it up.

"Are Asian albinos a rare sight?" Nathan asked, while intentionally sliding the profile out, positioning the picture so that it slid into the small detective's line of sight. She seemed to turn away slightly, staring overly hard at the pen nib.

"Yes. Rare." She answered without looking up.

"Wow. What are the chances of getting to see one all the way out here?" Nathan appeared to muse. "Have you seen an albino before?"

"Yes." Naoto finally lifted her eyes, a vague expression hovering over her features. "I've seen two Japanese albinos in my life."

"Really?" Nathan exclaimed, genuinely interested.

"Yes, I have worked with one barely two years ago. A detective. He was quite new to the profession but had admirable work ethics..." When Naoto first met that albino detective, it was for a job in Tokyo, close to two years after she entered university, long since she and Souji had gone separate ways. She was ashamed to admit she treated that detective with cold distance to no fault of his, despite his repeated attempts to mend what he somehow assumed to be his fault. He often tried to engage her in conversation much like Nathan did, but always with an apologetic manner. He wistfully mentioned how her looks and dress sense reminded him of a close friend he once had, an attempt at extending a hand of friendship to which she batted away. If Naoto were to ever meet him again she would apologise for the childish way she had acted.

"Was he as well built as me?" Nathan asked flexing unabashedly, his biceps rendered indiscernible by the heavy material of his suit.

The exasperated detective gave him a disparaging glare, and replied lightly. "I would assume so, he was an accomplished boxer."

"Boxing? You guys have boxing?" Nathan asked excitedly, already forgetting about his previous questions through several degrees of separation.

"Yes we do. We just never make it into international league." Naoto subtly slid the suspect profile back into the folder. "However that is neither here nor there, what is important is the work at hand."

"O-oh right!" Nathan quickly switched his attention to the material on Naoto's desk, previous curiosity already discarded and forgotten. He glanced at a simple schematic of the first victim's office sketched on Naoto's notepad.

"I do not believe the disappearance occurred within his office..." she muttered.

"Because there's no television there?"

Naoto turned and regarded the usually inattentive man in mild surprise. "Actually...yes."

Nathan paused in thought, rubbing his fingers down his meticulously shaven chin, feeling the emergence of afternoon bristles. "Then the most likely place his disappearance would have occurred would be at the break room. They usually have a large TV for staff at big Universities. "

The detective ace stared stunned. Despite his lack of focus, the man was evidently much sharper than she originally gave him credit for.

Nathan's grin shone through between his fingers. "Well, what are we waiting for?"

Naoto responded with a smile of her own, tapping her cap in gratitude as she pulled herself from the seat.

But before she could take two steps she was hailed down by a grim looking Peterman.

"Detective Shiron." he uttered as he wobbled past in a hurry. "Briefing room. There's been another kidnapping. Your presence is required."

* * *

><p>AN: Kharta has created a very artsy title page for this fanfic. Check it out. Link is on the top of my profile page.

A thank you to my Beta reader and video game reviewer Jahan. If anyone is into video games take a look at his reviews on the PALGN site. Needless to say he did the Persona 4 review. Find the link to the persona 4 review on my profile page.

Another thank you to my second Beta reader Bukala who not only has edited my fanfic for a smoother read but has graciously agreed to use his time to tutor me on how to fine-tune my writing skills. Not every fanfic writer gets such an opportunity to learn.

Disclaimer: I do not own Persona. If I did there would be an option to pair up friends within game...which could actually possibly happen in the newly annouced Persona 4 Golden for PS Vita.

Next update on the 16th of September:

Fortune: Turning of the Wheel

_Life is a wheel turning ever on, _

_When change is here then luck is gone._


	10. Fortune: Turning of the Wheel

Fate or Fortune

Fortune: Turning of the Wheel

_Life is a wheel turning ever on, _

_When change is here then luck is gone._

**Monday, July 29****th**** 2012**

**Inaba; Japan**

Summer holidays rolled around with a hint of excitement buzzing through the air. The news that Souji Seta was returning rolled through Yasogami like a katamari through a desk of assorted stationary. Naoto listened in on the rumours with dry amusement as it morphed from one telling to the next. Ordinarily she would have given the news some attention, as she had long learned that each rumour held a strand of truth. However this time, the strand of truth originated with her.

Naoto had kept in contact with Souji for the past few months, mostly through email. She spent most of their correspondence updating him with the current goings-on in the continual state of peace in Inaba, which in itself was nothing too noteworthy. The only piece of news she had worth discussing was in regards to her work:

The Detective Prince had departed from Inaba once on an investigation, which she had managed to conclude fairly quickly. Yet to her horror, upon returning to class she found that she was incredibly behind on her homework. Since then she had come to the decision to have Yakushiji wave the cases offered to her and quit her part time job at the precinct in deference to the third year workload.

Well that was partially the reason... The other part was that she ran out of records to read. She had long since finished the sort.

In return Souji regaled her with stories of Tatsumi Port Island, a place Naoto had visited with the school on excursion the year prior, now the place in which Souji resided. He lived with his parents at a well-off district quite close to the company headquarters they had transferred to. He spoke very little about his school and the activities he engaged in, which was surprising since third year or not he was never one to leave an open spot on his calendar. However, no matter how Naoto prompted all she got out of him was, 'They have no opening on their basketball team!'

Most of their emails spoke of such trivialities, both seeming to share in communicational paranoia and followed an unspoken agreement to keep their relationship even out of transcript.

It was in one such email had they first made plans for his summer visit.

Late in April Naoto had received a message from Souji asking what she wanted for her birthday. She had replied that she simply wanted to see him, however given their third year workload and the university they were aiming for that was neither practical nor fair. Within half a day Souji had replied: 'Wish granted. Coming for summer.'

Naoto instantly regretted putting her wants into words. She typed back, telling him to forget her stupid request, that they did not have time to slack off.

Not long after that had Souji replied again with: 'Relax. I said I'd come back at Summer the day I left didn't I? We'll study together. You can share your text books with me while I'm over. For a part Englishman you're not all that** slick **with your English.' With _slick_ written in bold English letters.

Naoto slowly turned that unfamiliar use of the word around in her head... She relented Souji might be right and mailed back in agreement, before searching the meaning of the word online, then realised with a hint of annoyance that she was fooled by simple street slang.

As such Souji proceeded to email every one of his friends about the planned arrival, under the premise that he was proceeding due to his previous commitment, and before they knew it the entire school was abuzz with the news.

Not long after another email followed as Rise Kujikawa, fresh from her recent comeback, proclaiming that she would return for the summer as well. Understandably she wanted to see her Senpai again, but her announcement set the town into a frenzy of the likes it hasn't seen in a while. Her brief stay in Inaba the year before was during her hiatus from show business, this time she was returning at the height of her restarted career.

The interest in Souji's return had not the time to die down with dignity before it was engulfed by this second announcement, resulting in the two rumours colliding and merging.

"I heard he had been seeing Rise-chan secretly before he left!"

"Eh~? Seriously?"

"That would totally make sense, seeing how they're coming back together!"

"I heard Risette returned to show business through Senpai's influence."

"I heard they hooked up after she left in Spring!"

"No way! They were totally seeing each other before they left! That's why they left together!"

And so the rumours spun around until even those in the Investigation team themselves were given pause.

"Hey you think it's true?" Yosuke asked during one lunch break, twisting back in his seat to speak to the girls sitting directly behind. By some strange coincidence Naoto was one of these girls, seated at the desk positioned perfectly to discretely slip answers to her ex-senpais during class.

When she was accelerated into third year she was placed into a class suspiciously reminiscent of Souji's old home-room. Which on second thought made a lot of sense since this school wasn't well known for its diligence thus unlikely put any effort into new class room arrangements, and his departure left an empty spot she could easily be nudged into.

"Well, we all knew Rise had a crush on him." Chie answered through a mouthful of onigiri, the filling looking suspiciously bovine in origin.

"Hmmm..." Yukiko pondered, her chopsticks resting unused against her exquisitely prepared bento box lunch, quite obviously not by her. "I never would have guessed. But considering girls like Ebihara-san was Souji-kun's type..." The two girls exchanged a knowing look, and then rounded on Naoto. "What's your professional take on this, Naoto-kun?"

"H-huh?" The young detective had hoped to silently weather the discussion out, but upon reflection that might have been tad optimistic of her.

"Yeesh, weren't you listening?" Yosuke rolled his eyes. "We're asking if your detective senses say Souji hooked up with Risette."

All three of them had their attention pinned on Naoto, who could only shrug in response. "This is not a subject I'd contemplate."

"Of course." Yosuke drawled with a goofy grin. "Little Miss Detective Prince would find the prattle of us country bumpkins boring."

Although Naoto knew he was joking, she couldn't help but bristle at his remarks. Little Miss? She didn't want to hear that from someone barely a year older than her. She calmed herself down, rearranging her features from angry to just plain annoyed.

It wasn't that she couldn't ignore the rumours. She usually took no pleasure in the senseless gossip that the small town often indulged in, opting to tune people out when they discussed so. Rather, it was who these particular rumours were about that helped them garner her attention. The only rumours that ever caught her ear were those involving Souji.

This time was no different.

Even so, why on earth would people think he'd come back to _Inaba_ to see Rise? This rumour made no logical sense.

"Not at all. I just haven't anything to say on the matter." And what exactly could she say?

"Gee Naoto-kun," Chie said with somewhat different tone than before. "I thought you said detectives were meant to be inquisitive."

Chie gave her a scrutinising look, her half eaten rice ball now sitting on the table forgotten. Recently she had been coming to Naoto with questions about becoming a detective, and in the spirit of goodwill Naoto had been trying to answer them. Unfortunately all of her questions involved becoming a police detective, and most were rather unorthodox. Such as- 'which is the recommended martial arts form on the Force?' and other similar notions.

"Well I don't think Souji is just coming back for fun." Yukiko put forth. "I mean, I know we made plans before he left, but since starting third year and seeing the workload I didn't think it was possible."

Chie nodded in agreement. "Yeah, and the fact that he's now aiming for Tokyo University..."

"He wouldn't have time to goof off, huh?" Yosuke mused. Then with a wink he added, "But you know he could be coming back for... _fun._" His comment passed cleanly over the heads of the three girls, or they had simply not acknowledged his lewd innuendo, leaving him slumping in his chair to sulk.

Yukiko slowly mused. "But that makes me wonder... Why would he come back here to see Rise? He should know she isn't here. She probably lives closer to where he lives now." Voicing the same dissent rolling about in Naoto's mind, her words gave everyone else pause to ponder.

In an excited hush, Chie whispered, "Do you think he's actually seeing someone else here?"

"Who could it possibly be?" Yukiko squealed back.

Naoto cleared her throat loudly. "Can we not just assume Souji-san's original reasoning be sufficient?" She had hoped to quickly divert the discussion before everyone had come to the conclusion that the three most likely girls were all sitting right in this very room. But on second thought diverting everyone's attention to herself might not have been the most efficient alternative.

Yosuke suddenly sported a sly look. That never boded well. "Hey guys! Guys! I just had a thought!" He quickly exclaimed. "What if _Naoto_ is Souji's secret girlfriend?" The suggestion caused everyone to fall stark silent, then promptly burst out in rambunctious laughter.

Naoto didn't know whether to feel relieved or insulted.

* * *

><p>The day of arrival couldn't come soon enough. After crawling through a week of exams the summer holidays broke like the relief of a dazzling dawn upon a long winter's night. The remnants of the investigation group that had stayed in Inaba gathered outside the train station. Even the Junes mascot Teddie was enticed from his holiday in the TV world, having been given a week off from his work at Junes. Lately he had been living there rather than at the Hanamura residence, resulting in arriving at work earlier than even the managers, and mysteriously able to enter without the key. However, they were not alone.<p>

The excitement of the recent spate of rumours drew incredible attention to Souji's arrival such that when he finally stepped off the train that day, he was not only greeted by his Inaba friends but by half the town as well.

It did not help that Rise, all dressed up and positively radiating her newly reignited stardom, stepped off with him, practically hanging from his arm.

Excited chatter rippled forth from the crowd of miscellaneous rumour-mongers who were thrilled to have the gossip apparently prove to be accurate.

Souji however was unamused by all the fuss, having missed the entire rumour mill lead-up. The only thing he was interested in was the sound of the two watches greeting each other once more, a familiar sound only noticed by the bearers, whose eyes then met in unspoken affection.

* * *

><p>It took a stretch to lose the curious crowd. Only after the Investigation team had smuggled their returned friends safely back into the deserted suburban streets were they finally able to greet their leader properly. Originally they had planned to hold a party over at Amagi Inn. Unfortunately, summer was a busy time and no matter how Yukiko pleaded she could not free up a room. Instead they headed over to the Dojima residence, where Souji was to stay for the holiday.<p>

Friendly and assertive as always, within minutes Souji managed to re-organise the friendship dynamic such that it once again pretty much revolved around him. By the time they arrived at the Dojima residence, every piece of luggage had somehow managed to wind up in Kanji's arms, who seemed all too happy to be of assistance.

The group didn't even manage to reach the front door before it was yanked open by an overjoyed Nanako, dashing straight for Souji, who immediately caught her with a twirl and pulled her up into a massive bone crushing bear hug. "Welcome back, Big Bro!"

"It's good to be back. How did you know we were coming?"

"I could hear everyone shouting outside."

Souji gave a small laugh. "Well let's take it inside before we annoy the neighbours."

The friends arranged themselves all over the living room, happily chatting away, mostly about the monotonous life of the sleepy little town. Teddie described the condition of the reformed world of the television...by the sound of which hadn't changed at all, and Rise spoke all too willingly about all her escapades since making her big return as Risette, all of which Yosuke, the fanboy he still was, seemed ecstatic to listen to. Souji in turn spoke of very little of his life in Port Island, only mentioning a portion of what he had already told Naoto.

Naoto on the whole said very little to Souji. Anything worth saying had long since been typed up and emailed. Anything further said between them could only opened them up for scrutiny by their gossip-happy group of friends, and she knew all too well that no matter how unobservant some of them seemed, when they put their heads together they can come up with incredible results.

Unfortunately, she failed to account for one critical factor.

"Big Sis? You haven't said much to Big Bro since you came in."

Naoto turned to answer, before freezing in horror, the realisation of Nanako's words finally impacting.

"Whoa! Whoa! Naoto! When did you become 'Big Sis'?" Yosuke demanded. Everyone in the room broke off conversation to regard Naoto with surprise. She sat there stunned, unable to pull her wit together as distress yet again won over her quick mind. Time seemed to slow for her as she watched in horror Nanako's mouth open to innocently supply the answer Naoto apparently could not.

"Big sis and Big-"

"She works in the precinct." Souji smoothly interrupted. "So does my uncle." As if that answer perfectly sufficed, everyone accepted it without question and carried on with their previous conversation.

Souji discreetly excused himself to pull Nanako aside. Naoto watched as the young girl's intelligent eyes widened in confusion with her mouth pulling into a pout. Slowly but surely understanding came to her eyes, and eventually she nodded in acceptance, although her expression showed she was less than happy with it.

As Souji moved back into earshot he spotted Naoto's worried expression. He caught her eye and shot her a quick wink. Yet as he sat down to re-assimilate himself with his friends, he noticed Kanji's frown. His eyes darted to him briefly, then drifted to Naoto.

* * *

><p>Just past noon Yukiko called everyone's attention with an announcement that the girls were going to cook lunch... Or dinner... Technically it would be the meal in between. This was met with mixed reactions: Confusion from Naoto's behalf, since she was not previously informed of such an event and was drafted without consent, and apprehension from the boys, who had experienced all too intimately the culinary delights of mystery food X. However, since the girls' success with the Christmas edition there was some room to hope. Though, far too little hope was to be found if previous their hit-and-miss ratio had taught them anything.<p>

In a desperate bid to guarantee something edible, the boys volunteered Souji who, having treated just about everyone to his packed lunches in the past, was well known for his cooking skills. Yet again the dynamics shifted as thus, with Souji becoming the head chef and within seconds Rise announcing herself to be his head assistant. This came to the poignant interest of several individuals, whose interest in turn prompted confusion from Souji.

"Hey partner." Yosuke questioned with a wink, confusing the charismatic young man further. "What's the scoop with you and Rise-chan?"

"...This is something new to you?"

"Oh come on. We know how busy you are! You couldn't have chosen to spend half a day on the train in the middle of your third year just to mess around with us! Is it Rise-chan?"

Souji looked around in panic at the interest generated by the simple status quo.

"Oh~ what's this about us Senpai?" Rise, delighted by all the attention, latched on to his arm with a suggestive wink.

"I'm...actually not sure." Souji answered, completely and honestly perplexed. He glanced quickly at Naoto, who shrugged in response, putting him immediately at ease. "Is this another one of those Inaba rumour hotpots?"

"Well...yeah..." Yosuke relented, abashed by how caught up he got. They chortled in mirth, amazed by how easily they all got swept away by such childish things they should all know better by now.

Souji grimaced, finally realising what the commotion at the train station was all about.

* * *

><p>Their meal took over two hours to prepare, with the assistants hindering more often than helping. While the girls gathered in the kitchen to support their leading chef, the boys hung around the couch, keeping Nanako company. It wasn't that nobody wanted her help, it was more to shield her away from the danger of all potential mystery food X related hazards.<p>

Kanji and Teddie watched with genuine interest as Nanako brought out the Teddie and Jack Frost dolls that she had received as gifts on Christmas to show them. As it turned out she had purchased some doll clothes to dress them up in, and as adorable as they were, they were unfortunately ill-fitting. Kanji immediately jumped on that, offering his talents to tailor the outfits to an appropriate fit. Nanako was delighted at the prospect and dashed for the needle and spool her mother had once used to darn socks but now sat forlorn and abandoned in a drawer.

As Kanji got to work with both Teddie and Nanako watching on eagerly, and with Yosuke looking on rather disinterestedly, Souji got to work sorting out what he had to work with. The ingredients were brought over by Yukiko, with the help of Kanji and, reluctantly, Yosuke. The head chef had to spend a good half an hour just figuring out what he had enough for. Unfortunately for him the ingredients were selected without pre-meditation, or at least not to the traditional taste pallet.

He ended up separating the ingredients between 'savoury' and 'sweet,' realising the only ingredient combo he really had was to make various meat and vegetable croquets, probably in deference to Chie who had an overfondness for such things. After taking stock of what was left in the savoury pile, he simply divvied them up into the croquet patties.

Several disasters in the meat and vegetable preparations soon followed, prompting Souji to exile everyone from the kitchen area, but was soon revoked at the insistence of Yukiko and Chie. He packed his meal preparation to the corner as the girls took charge of the sweet hoard, promising to bake a cake to put the Christmas edition to shame.

He watched with slight amusement at the sight of Naoto expertly handling the melting of the cooking chocolate, wishing dearly he could quip about her cookbook but wise enough to not follow it through.

The eventual result of the feast was spread out on the living-room table. Everyone grabbed chopsticks and a bowl of rice from the steamer. As unorthodox a staple to eat with such a menu it may be it was the only staple on hand. Unfortunately Souji had allotted that as Chie's responsibility, an act that upon reflection that might not have been the wisest decision.

Within minutes the basic staple of the meal whittled down to just the deep fried crumbs and the potato filling of the croquettes.

The afternoon passed in a lazy haze with laughter and conversation over a meal that quickly evolved into finger food.

Yosuke made an offhand statement about how such food was best served during a picnic, inexplicitly starting a heated discussion that resulted ultimately in plans to picnic in the refurbished world of the TV. This then led to the planning for the Summer Festival.

Most of the girls were eager to don their yukatas once more, planning to change at the Amagi Inn, much to the same formula as the year before. Nanako jumped eagerly on the plan, determined to ask her father's consent when he came home that night. Naoto on the other hand was not so keen. In fact she was adamant she'd not be included in the festive dress-ups. Unfortunately for her, a "No" would not be taken for an answer. Rise was the most persistent of the lot, insisting with a suggestive tone that Kanji would love to see her in a flowery flowing yukata, bound in such a way as to showcase her most alluring features. By that she did not mean her eyes, not according to medical reports if her memory served her right. This prompted Naoto to elicit a sound only describable as an untranslatable onomatopoeia and for Kanji to shuffle around uncomfortably.

Kanji quickly wandered away on the pretext of searching for drinks. When he finally slunk back the others noticed he held in his arms an assortment of miscellaneous cans. They stayed mysterious no longer the moment he pulled open the tab, allowing the telling smell to fill the room. He had somehow stumbled onto Dojima's emergency stock of beer, which he vehemently professed as to be accidental.

A few minutes of some of the others chasing down Teddie ensued after he fell prey to his overwhelming curiosity and snatched up a beer for himself. All of their effort in trying to stop him from downing the drink proved to be for naught when they saw him take a single sip and wince in revulsion. The bitter taste knocked him straight back to his fruit juice. Unfortunately, during that distraction the rest of the stock seemed to have evaporated, and at the end of the trail they discovered an inexplicitly inebriated Rise, a sight which was to the great disapproval of Naoto.

Kanji just wasn't quick enough and ended up staying disappointingly sober.

A discussion soon followed on how best to dispose of the evidence since they were convinced that Dojima could return home at any minute.

Unfortunately for them they were all too correct.

Like a summoned spirit, Dojima chose that very moment to step through the door.

Naoto was mortified. The last time Dojima caught her in his house had not painted her in the most favourable light, this time possibly less so.

He greeted the group and then to everybody's slight distress he strode over to the living room table and began helping himself to the leftovers, seemingly unaware of the small pile of cans by his feet.

Naoto sat frozen, utterly stunned, fighting the overwhelming urge to confess, while all around her the group made sudden plans to depart. Rise, still tipsy but left with enough sense to know this was no time to fool about, caught Kanji as he was slipping out the door and attached to him for an escort home to the Tofu Store.

Naoto, realising she was soon to be the only visitor left, attempted to slip away on the tail of the torrent of departures. Her plans were foiled when Souji would not have her leave unannounced. As the door closed upon the quickly retreating back of Yosuke, Naoto fumbled on her shoes, only to have Souji catch her by the waist as she attempted to follow suit.

"Uncle, I'm taking Naoto home!" He called to Dojima, who was in the midst of reheating the variety croquettes in the microwave.

"Hold on a second!" His uncle's gruff voice abruptly announced. "I want to have a word with you." Souji's hand froze on the door handle, his trepidation bubbling to his face as his uncle approached.

"Wait for me outside." He whispered to Naoto with a quick push to get her out the door.

The minutes passed slowly as she indeed waited for him, giving the teenage detective the sensation of great foreboding. She strained her ears listening for raised voices or other such indicators of conflict. Without so much as a peep to pierce the night the door opened once again, and Souji slunk out clutching a paper bag and looking surprisingly sheepish. Naoto peered at him with concern, unsure as how to interpret his expression.

"What's wrong?" She asked, dreading the answer.

Souji opened his mouth to answer, a perplexed look passing across his face. "He-uh... He wanted to give me...'The _Talk_'."

"The _talk_?"

"...You know..."

The look on Naoto's face made it quite clear that she didn't.

"Uhh... Didn't your grandfather...? Or Yakushiji-san...? No, wait. I see the problem." He gave a sympathetic grimace.

They began to leisurely stroll down the quickly darkening suburban street, Souji still clutching the paper bag discretely in the crook of his arm.

"Then what did he want to talk about?" Naoto prodded, not satisfied with the answer she got. She couldn't help but notice the corners of Souji's lips twitch upwards. A clear indication he's about to push her sensibilities.

"He wanted me to tell you..." A genuine smile leaked through his badly built facade. "...That even though it was late in the coming, to thank you for all you've done. Thank you for saving Nanako."

Naoto, who had braced herself, paused in confusion. "Oh. He's welcome." She muttered, suddenly embarrassed. So used to being pushed aside once her usefulness was at an end, the young detective was unsure as to how to deal with gratitude.

"I told him as much." Souji gave her a happy grin. "I think that's his way of saying 'Shirogane, welcome to the family'." He mimicked his uncle's voice before giving a bark of laughter as Naoto tried to suppress a blush and a grin.

"And that's what 'The Talk' was about?"

Souji's grin suddenly darkened with outright cheek. "No, 'The Talk' was about not getting you pregnant."

Naoto jumped with alarm, face flushing crimson so fast she nearly passed out.

"Oh yeah, it gets worse." Souji continued relentlessly. "See, he thought he'd get me prepared, so he swung by the pharmacy to pick me up certain items." He hefted the paper bag. "Then he told me several techniques I'm going to try tonight." He paused, and then burst out in heaving laughter at the look on his lover's face. "I'm joking! I'm joking! ...Well, with the last part anyway." His grin set back into sheepishness. "But he really did buy me prophylactics..."

Naoto felt horribly embarrassed. Even if it was Souji's uncle... To have it discussed as such... Was this normal? There was no way she'd ever tell her grandfather, even before she knew 'The Talk' existed. She certainly was never talked to as such and hoped to high heavens she never would be. The idea of her grandfather sitting her down to talk her through such things...

"Well, look on the bright side." Souji remarked with a cheeky grin cemented in place as he looped his free arm around the silently imploding Naoto. He leaned down to whisper in her ear. "This time we're not restricted to just the one in my wallet."

Naoto glowered at him, feeling both flustered and frustrated, and exceedingly annoyed that he seemed to be enjoying her reactions to this degree. In an act of outright protest she firmly shoved his arm away.

"No! When we get back we're going to study!" Then she was the one watching with vicious satisfaction as the grin melted off his face to be replaced with sheer horror.

* * *

><p>AN: Later when Dojima enquires if Souji "played it safe." He would have to respond "remarkably so." And yet again I'll have to profess it's hard to feel sorry for a guy who's seen Naoto naked.

Cultural trivia: 'The Talk' is actually not a common occurrence in Japan. In actuality even Japanese ex-pats deign to experience the awkwardness. Usually, the only time one experiences it is when they have their significant other discovered by their parents/guardians one way or another.

Kharta has created a very artsy title page for this fanfic. Check it out. Link is on the top of my profile page.

Kharta has actually gone one further this chapter, and created another 'continuation' pic. Incomplete but linked in my profile, his previous M-rated artwork for chapter 8 is now finished.

A thank you to my Beta reader and video game reviewer Jahan. If anyone is into video games take a look at his reviews on the PALGN site. Needless to say he did the Persona 4 review. Find the link to the persona 4 review on my profile page.

Another thank you to my second Beta reader Bukala who not only has edited my fanfic for a smoother read but has graciously agreed to use his time to tutor me on how to fine-tune my writing skills. Not every fanfic writer gets such an opportunity to learn.

Disclaimer: I do not own Persona. If I did instead of a Mokoi doll to display on the shelf there'd be a chibi-shadow Naoto doll.

Next update on the 30th of September:

Magician: The Missing Piece

_The picture's potential lays unbidden, _

_The disciplined eye spots what is hidden._


	11. Magician: The Missing Piece

Fate or Fortune

Magician: The Missing Piece

_The picture's potential lays unbidden, _

_The disciplined eye spots what is hidden._

**Tuesday, March 21****st**** 2017 **

**San Diego; USA**

The elevator rose smoothly to the eleventh floor of the corporate building. A rapid deceleration followed, announced by a ping as the doors slid open admitting two detectives of great disparity in height. They strode side by side as they headed for the room set at the end of the hallway.

As the detectives stepped through the propped open door, they found themselves in an empty waiting room. It had not a single window upon its sterile white walls, a colour probably chosen to salvage as much brightness from the artificial light source as possible. Several chairs were rimmed around the edge of the room. Its plush cushions showed they were barely used. A desk was set against the wall parallel to the thoroughfare between the door the detectives entered through and the door that presumably leading to the office, which was shut tight before them. Nobody sat behind that desk to greet them.

Naoto looked around, unimpressed by the apparent miscommunication. The company she was visiting was a branch of a major Japanese one, yet it appeared that organisation did not translate well into American.

The company just happened to be the very same one that was sponsoring Souji's academics, 'Trans-Western'. That the disappearance occurred here was more than just coincidence.

The detective prodigy strode over to the office door and rapt her knuckles upon the smooth chestnut hardwood. Without waiting for an answer, Nathan pushed past and let himself in.

The lighting in the room changed as the door swung open.

A natural light filtered in from the wall-plated tinted windows within the office, drastically changing the light dynamics of the smaller room. Despite the window size, only a small amount of light shone through from the outside. This wasn't due to any fault of the panes, but because the sky was blackened by the thick overcast that was in the midst of pelting the glass with raindrops the size of golf balls. This ominous lighting, coupled by the extraordinarily unbalanced space to occupied space ratio, gave the room a cavernous feeling. The only piece of area-covering furniture in that room was the large oaken desk set in front of the window-wall. The black leather chair nestled behind the desk seemed to stand forlornly empty within the spacious facility.

Naoto stepped inside, confused as to why there was no one to receive them. She had been directed to this office by the receptionist at the lobby. She glanced quickly at the name plate pinned on the door to make sure she had the right one. 'Taketo Saito.' That was also the name of the man who had first discovered the missing employee according to the report made to the police, and by the look of Mr. Saito's office he was unlikely the actual person to have called it in.

Rather than stand flummoxed by the door, the young detective stepped inside, immediately drawn to the sight of a ridiculously large television set into the wall by the desk, far enough away from the window so the glare does not affect the quality of the picture. Nathan whistled in appreciation as Naoto approached for a better look. The television was a wide-screen, a good two meters wide and hung so low that the base hung waist-height to Nathan and shoulder-height for Naoto. This struck her as odd as she was not used to wall-hung items being set within her reach, immediately provoking her suspicion.

Her sharp eyes scanned down the television, noting there was not a single print on its pristine surface. As her eyes moved down the screen to the border, she suddenly noticed scratch marks upon the frame. Scratch marks that seem to furrow upon the inner edges of the plastic disappearing upon the transition to the crystal screen.

"Excuse me." A voice called from the door, causing Naoto to look up from the etch marks. A Japanese man of a fair few years beyond middle age stood at the door way. His dark grey-flecked hair was gelled back neatly, matching his impeccably immaculate suit fitting elegantly his tall frame. The faintest lines of age could be seen upon his face, outlining the sharp dark eyes set shallow upon his high cheeks.

"I am Nathan Evans- _Detective_." The older detective quickly introduced himself, taking out and displaying his credentials as he walked back towards the door. "We are here...admiring your television- I mean- about the reported disappearance of a Michael Teav. Are you Mr Saito?"

The well-groomed man regarded Nathan silently, and then noticed Naoto standing silently off to the side. He scrutinised them both with his sharp eyes giving Naoto a strange sense of Déjà vu, before finally speaking with a clipped tone. "Mr Saito is the Chief Executive Officer of Trans-Western. As such he is a busy man. I will be handling your queries today and I ask that we conduct our business in the waiting room."

Nathan scratched his head with a nervous laugh, realising this could be considered as a breach of privacy if the man were to report it. "We were directed up here by the lady downstairs. We thought since nobody was waiting for us in the waiting room... Uh..."

The man nodded coolly, his expression not betraying his thoughts. "Indeed. Well I apologise for not receiving you. The receptionist is new and did not realise that the protocol dictated she alert me to meet you in the lobby." The man paused again as his sharp eyes traced out Naoto in a way that made her feel like she was the one being interrogated.

She introduced herself, studying the man in turn. "I am Detective Naoto Shirogane." She watched as his eyes widened in recognition.

"Shirogane? Hmm..." He mused, before giving a wan smile. "Detective Shirogane, I welcome you to America. My name is Masaru Seta. I will do everything I can to assist."

* * *

><p>The drive back to the station was oppressively silent. Naoto's expression was that of such intense contemplation such that even Nathan hesitated to disturb her. He didn't seem to have yet realised that the man who they had just spoken to was the suspect's father.<p>

Mr. Seta had given them the second hand account of the situation. Michael Teav was the secretary to the CEO himself, thus he handled much of the volatile information that, if leaked, could be greatly damaging to the company. As he had stressed it, leaked information wasn't potentially harmful because of issues involving illegalities, but simply due to lucrative prospects. As the chief secretary, Teav was stationed in the waiting room where they were standing.

His absence had been noticed by Mr. Saito soon after he came in, who in turn alerted Seta to deal with it. Mr. Seta quickly established that this was a case for police after attempting multiple times to call Teav's home phone and mobile to no avail.

Nobody had seen him come in this morning, or leave the night before. However his car was still in the company parking lot suggesting he did not leave, at least not willingly.

Soon afterwards Seta had taken it upon himself to obtain the security footage of the waiting room for the police to screen.

Naoto had attempted to question him further, asking about the secretary's bio, at which point Mr Seta sent for a copy of the man's original resume as well as the employee records from the human resource manager.

After realising she was not going to get a personal account of the character, Naoto requested to be allowed to search Teav's desk. It was an unreasonable request, she realised immediately, as most corporations value secrecy highly, and as the secretary of the CEO Teav would be handling some of the company's most volatile assets.

However, Mr. Seta's agreement caught Naoto completely by surprise.

"Hey, why do you think the old guy let us poke around?" Nathan ventured, eyes darting from the road briefly.

"Hmm...?" Naoto responded, drawing out of her reverie. "He wants the employee found."

"But does he have the authorisation to let us just go through the secretary's desk? I mean the executive seemed quite a little miffed when he came in."

That was an understatement. Ten minutes into the search the CEO Mr. Saito graced the room with his appearance. He was a Japanese man well past his middle age, yet hair strikingly jet black, contrast making it painfully obvious it was dyed. His dark eyes scowled down his slightly hooked nose as he caught the two detectives rummaging through the drawers.

Souji's father attempted to placate his boss, explaining the situation to him in rapid Japanese. Nathan couldn't follow the dialogue but it was apparent even to him that things were not panning out well, especially when Seta walked over and politely requested that if they wish to investigate further they must procure a warrant.

"He looked as if he got in deep with that stunt." Nathan muttered sympathetically "You understand Japanese. The guy gonna be okay?"

"I cannot say." Naoto truthfully answered. She had been watching the exchange with a certain level of anxiety. She had not wished to cause trouble for the father of...a friend. She had studied the executive's facial expression, trying to get a grasp of where his mood was at, and watched as his thick dark eyebrows pulled together, casting a shadow across his deep set eyes. His lips pulled thin across his smooth angular face, the twitching of the cheek muscle suggested his teeth were grinding hard against each other.

"Well I think he looked right on pissed." Nathan chattered on, stating the glaringly obvious. "You think he's hiding something?"

"He's a CEO of a trading company." Naoto said with a sigh. "...Of course he's hiding something."

"You think he's the murderer?!" Nathan buzzed excitedly, completely missing the undertones of Naoto's statement.

"...That is not what I meant."

"Well I've got a good head start on him! I know he's a big spender! In the secretary's desk was a collection of receipts from everything!" Nathan stated proudly. "I found stacks of them in an envelope in the secretary's drawer."

"That's for tax claims." Naoto gave it some thought before asking, "Did you see anything among those receipts that stood out?"

Nathan pondered this question over. "Hmm... Well, there is this one stack, all from this diner."

"...Why did that stand out?"

"Because there were _HEAPS_ of them. He must be a regular of that place. Think we should pay it a visit?"

"... For what?"

Nathan paused to turn it over in his head. "You know... Ask a few questions... Ask if they saw anything suspicious...?"

Naoto rubbed her temples and heaved a sigh. "If you only have a vague idea of what you're looking for then hold your intrusions until you have enough to establish a line of questioning. That way you will not give a person, with information they wish not to divulge, any time to prepare for a decent cover up."

"So what you're saying is we go stake out the diner for a while?"

"I'm saying if you don't know what you're doing, don't do it."

Nathan winced, her reprimand stinging slightly. He gave a sheepish grin, and mumbled in an attempt to save face. "I wasn't being serious..." He gave a feeble laugh as Naoto proceeded to glare him down. "But," Nathan's tone suddenly became tart, as his expression changing completely, "I think the disappearance occurred in his office."

Naoto's attention snapped to him. She too believed that, for reasons un-submittable to the court of law. "Why do you think that?"

"Well." Nathan gave a hesitant grimace. "I saw what looked to be scratch marks on that sweet TV... On the plastic under the screen. The only way I see such marks could be made is by the fingernails of a person, being dragged into it against his will."

Naoto gave a meek smile, realising just how little credit she had given the man. "That was my thought also. But I must admit I'm a little surprised by how easily you are buying into the supernatural murder proposition."

"Oh man, I've watched Japanese horror!" The tall detective exclaimed with a dead serious expression. "I'm not going to make the mistake of underestimating the supernatural!" His eyes strayed off the road, glancing poignantly to the security footage disk grasped in the younger's lap. "You ought to be careful about watching that DVD. For all you know that could be the digitally remastered cursed tape!"

Naoto grinned, unsure if her companion was being serious but amused all the same. "That is a risk I will have to take."

Nathan beamed happily. "I shall watch it first to make sure it is safe! Don't you worry!"

"You have an interesting sense of humour, Detective Evans."

He took his hands off the steering wheel briefly to strike a pose. "I shall boldly face Sadako herself! Come, Watson! The game is afoot!"

Naoto had to raise her eyebrows at that. "I am not Watson. If anything I'm Holmes."

"What?!" Nathan burst out laughing, taken completely by surprise. "You are _so_ not flamboyant enough to be Holmes! If anything you're Detective Conan!"

The young detective gave a bemused grimace; just two years ago she might have taken that as an insult. "I'm surprised you know Conan."

Nathan snorted, "Please! I'm from Generation Y. I live anime!"

"Generation Y?"

"You know. The teens of the first decade of the new millennia."

"That makes you...?"

"Twenty eight."

Naoto's eyebrows shot up in surprise. She had assumed he was well over thirty.

The man in question glanced over, catching her expression just as she attempted to hide it. "How old did you think I was?"

She gave a guilty grimace, which was probably more telling than was intended.

"Oh man! Come on!" Nathan groaned. "Look at my hairstyle! What sort of old-fart wears my youthful look?!"

That was a style?! Naoto had just assumed he had simply not bothered to brush his hair. She could not help letting that thought seep out onto her face as well. One glance sent Nathan into mortified silence. He spent the rest of the drive nursing his injured pride.

* * *

><p>A great ruckus greeted Naoto as she stepped through the doors of the precinct.<p>

"This is bullshit!" A voice carried down the hallway from the reception room, in the direction of the detective's office. The two detectives exchanged glances, recognising the voice to belong to Detective Bentley, who was less than subtle about his thoughts about their recently hired help in their last meeting.

"Umm... Do you want to go to the AV room first? I can take the evidence in." Nathan offered. Naoto recognised the attempt at sparing her the earful of insults and accepted it gratefully.

They walked down the hallway partway together before Naoto forked off into the Audio Visual room, leaving Nathan to march the rest of the way to the Criminal Investigation Department lugging the binder of employee records, along with the DVD. He had to have it documented before he brought it back down for viewing.

Once inside, Naoto sat upon a roller chair that was adjusted far too high for her, high enough to leave her legs just dangling centimetres from the floor. She sat facing the computers humming in sleep mode, enjoying the peace of the vacant room, listening to the bustle of thoroughfare in the hallway.

It was a rare moment of rest the freelance detective enjoyed; one that she'd not had since meeting Nathan at his car outside her hotel this morning. She leant back in her chair, closing her eyes and relishing the peace of solitude. She was finally left alone with her thoughts.

But she didn't have long to herself.

A piercing beep shattered the silence.

Naoto scrambled up in a start, glancing to her watch before swivelling in her chair to sweep her eyes across the room. It was empty save for her, yet, the watch claimed its counterpart was but mere meters away. Her eyes darted across the vacant space, jumping from one corner to another. There was not a hint of movement, yet this time, the young detective could not shake the feeling she was being watched.

...It felt as if...there was a presence right beside her...

The monitors!

Naoto turned so quickly she practically leapt from her seat, eyes setting on the blank motionless screens as her breath came in tight puffs. She saw no motion in them, no tell tale ripple of a form disappearing through them. She glanced at her watch again.

_Less than a meter._

Naoto turned her eyes back to the screen. She took a step forward, reaching a hand out, watching the screen ripple as her finger brushed against the surface.

If she looked through...would she find him?

And if she did...what then?

"Whoa! I didn't realise it was touch screen!" A loud voice rang out behind Naoto, causing her to jump. She glared at the owner, who sauntered over, oblivious to the indignation he had just dealt. Nathan sat himself down in the seat and pulled up next to his slightly startled counterpart, swivelling to the screen and pressed his palm against it. "Aw~ man! How'd you get it to do that?!"

Naoto ignored him as she glanced at her watch again. The distance stayed the same. She stared hard at the screen, divining nothing from its still surface.

"Seriously! That looked like the fishpond App! I love that App! Me and my cat both! But granted it didn't have any fishes, and it just-"

"It was a trick of the light." Naoto muttered, causing Nathan to pause and regard her with a look of quizzical curiosity. She glared back. "Please put the security footage on Detective."

"Oh- Right!" The older man jumped to do her bidding, quickly booting the unit up from sleep.

The portal screen loaded with agonising sluggishness, causing Nathan to fidget with restless anticipation. Naoto used his distraction to sneak another glance at her watch, greatly disturbed that the distance had not moved one bit.

"Oh right, Naoto." Nathan began, glancing at her, a grin plastered on his face just as she slid back onto her chair, tucking her watch back under her sleeve. "You were right about the suspect!"

Naoto's heart leapt to her mouth. Did he figure it out?

"He really was with his girlfriend on the night of the murder!"

Her expression immediately melted into something that could only be described as 'Bwah?'

"See, Owen was spazzing out in there 'cause the girlfriend retracted her statement. Now they're making him re-question all the people in her boyfriend's PhD research group." Nathan grinned viciously. "Apparently they had all originally made statements that placed him with his girlfriend that day, and Owen had proclaimed they sounded rehearsed." The thought made him give a scathing laugh. "I suppose the bond of post-graduates is akin to ethnicity to him."

Naoto frowned. "And a girlfriend...isn't?"

"Hey, I don't pretend to get his logic." The tall detective shrugged, and then proceeded to type in the password as the option finally came up. He leant back as he waited for the desktop to load, at which point the two sunk back into a silence. It was strange since silence and Nathan do not usually co-exist.

He chewed his lip in contemplation, throwing furtive glances in the petite detective's general direction.

"Hey, Naoto." He began, a little hesitantly. "Are you sure you don't want to come take a look at the night-life? We don't even have to be out for long. We could just hit a bar close to your hotel." He gave a nervous grin. "There's a real nice one - Day's End. No loud music, no flashing lights. Just good drinks and pleasant conversation. You'll love it. I promise."

Nathan held his breath as Naoto sat silently, her expression a blank facade. "...While I appreciate your efforts Detective Evans," she replied with a shaking head, "I simply am not interested."

Nathan flopped back in his seat with a sigh. Naoto couldn't help but think his expression seemed a little doleful.

The DVD was inserted as the system finished booting, whereby the detectives went down to business, reviewing the security footage at times eight speed. Naoto began from when Michael Teav, a Caucasian man with extraordinarily fair hair, first walked through the doors of the waiting room at eight AM the morning before, and watched his day play out at an accelerated pace.

Much of it composed of sitting around typing on the computer, with the occasional phone call. Twice he organised letters to be sent, propping out the edges of the envelope and blowing in a puff of air to prop up the centre to more easily slide in the bulky letter.

The executive exited more than once, papers were exchanged and more often than not the executive would then simply return to his office. The one time he didn't, and instead walking out altogether was at noon. That was most likely him breaking for lunch. Sure enough, an hour later he walked back in, handing the receipt to his secretary.

While Naoto dissected the footage, Nathan appeared to slowly lapse into a coma as his boredom got the best of him. Despite being played at times eight speed, it still took half an hour to simply get to lunch break, the rest of which involved watching a boring man do boring things. By the time something did happen, Nathan was fast asleep.

Naoto leant in curiously as she watched the Secretary prepared for the day's end. Mr. Saito had left long prior. At eight PM, as the secretary stood to leave, he did something rather peculiar. Instead of leaving by the door, he entered the office.

Then...nothing.

Naoto noted the time this took place and waited for an hour to elapse in the footage before increasing the speed once more.

As the footage time transitioned from night to day, it became apparent not only that the secretary was not coming back out, but that he was no longer in the office.

When the CEO finally arrived there was no hesitation or surprise. Instead he simply walked straight into his office and shut the door. It was almost an hour before he reappeared, presumably to raise the alarm.

From then on nobody else entered the room until the footage ended.

Naoto leant back in her seat as she sank into her thoughts. The disappearance occurred after eight PM and before the CEO came in at nine in the morning. The event occurred most likely during the approximate initial time, with a logarithmic decreasing in order of likelihood as time progressed. During the first hour was their best estimation, assuming the culprit was not brazen enough to engage the victim in chitchat within the office.

Naoto turned to Nathan with the theory upon her lips and froze at the sight of him passed out comfortably in his seat. She sighed in disapproval of his lax attitude. If he would just pull himself together she could see him becoming a fine detective. With a little bit more experience of course. He already displayed his surprisingly keen insight and an open-mindedness rare among patrons of the law.

Naoto glanced nonchalantly back to her watch, and as she expected, it had reset once again to 'Out of Range.' It was too late to test her previous theory now, yet somehow that thought caused her considerable relief. It wasn't that she didn't want to find Souji... Rather, it was...

It was just that the opportunity had slipped away.

Naoto slouched in her chair with a huff, kicking her dangling feet against the table leg.

There was little point in moping by herself in this dark room. She might as well wake her escort and get him to compile the written report for submission.

Before she could finish that thought, the AV room door was flung open causing Naoto to give a start and accidentally kick Nathan out of his stupor.

The man squinting into the darkness, was a uniformed officer that had attended Naoto's briefing this morning; a police officer on this case, but she couldn't quite match name to face.

"Shirogane?" He called as he caught sight of her, voice tinged with a hint of uncertainty, as if he still did not quite mastered all the syllables in the name.

"Yes?" Naoto responded, sliding off her chair to stand respectably. There was no way to carry a proper conversation with her legs dangling ridiculously.

Nathan glanced around drowsily, lost as to what was going on.

"Peterman sent me to fetch you two. Michael Teav has been found."

* * *

><p>AN: Some readers may be wondering "Who is Sadako?" or "I've watched the Ring before, the girl's name is Samara." The fact is 'The Ring' originated in Japan, and in the original version the name of that killer ghost girl who crawled out of the TV was Sadako, named just like the 'The thousand paper crane's' Sadako. Being from Gen Y Nathan would have been the perfect age to catch the huge wave of Japan-craze that caught on in the western world. Such as the case he would have watched the original 'Ring' as well as a slew of anime... Not to mention the actual reason behind his rudimentary cultural understanding of the Japanese.

Kharta has created a very artsy title page for this fanfic. Check it out. Link is on the top of my profile page.

A thank you to my Beta reader and video game reviewer Jahan. If anyone is into video games take a look at his reviews on the PALGN site. Needless to say he did the Persona 4 review. Find the link to the Persona 4 review on my profile page.

Another thank you to my second Beta reader Bukala who not only has edited my fanfic for a smoother read but has graciously agreed to use his time to tutor me on how to fine-tune my writing skills. Not every fanfic writer gets such an opportunity to learn.

Disclaimer: I do not own Persona. If I did I'd have held the line...

Next update on the 14th of October:

Fortune: The Ill-fated Promise

_As strings of fate entwine the heart,_

_The path before you falls apart._


	12. Fortune: The Illfated Promise

Fate or Fortune

Fortune: The Ill-fated Promise

_As strings of fate entwine the heart,_

_The path before you falls apart._

**Monday, August 24****th**** 2012**

**Inaba; Japan**

Naoto woke to the sound of running water drumming against the haze of her drowsy mind. At first she thought it might be due to rainfall, however it struck her as rather odd that just as it became a soothing ambiance it would suddenly cease.

A sigh escaped her as she stretched slightly. Her mind began to slowly crawl back to consciousness as her ears strained hard for further sounds. She became aware of how soft and snug the sheets were directly against her skin, a mostly unfamiliar feeling, but not an unpleasant one.

Gentle footsteps could be heard padding against her carpet. She felt the slight change in air pressure as something moved into her vicinity.

She felt someone brush aside the tassels of her hair as the bed dipped slightly against the weight settled along its edge.

Naoto steadily edged open her eyes, her mind catching up to reality. As her eyes focused, she was greeted by the sight of something white and woolly. Her eyes drew up along the folds until fabric ended and skin began.

"Enjoying the view sleepyhead?"

In a start the drowsing detective snapped fully awake, blushing bright crimson when she realised what she was staring at.

Souji, wearing only a brazen smirk and a towel wrapped around his waist in such a way that it exposed Naoto to the sight of his defined pectoral muscles, perched upon the edge of the bed.

Naoto sat up with a start, retort butchered by a pre-caffeine breakdown of fluency and cognition.

Souji never had a slack body, but due to his previous year's rigorous training within the TV world his already lean muscles became sleek and toned. Somehow he managed to keep his physique up since then, and on top of school work at that.

He looked good, a fact Naoto had to agree with, but at this moment it was the last thing she was going to admit out loud, primarily because he'd never let her live it down. She stuttered into silence, words failing her, her eyes cast to the side and staring at anything but him.

"It's okay. I don't mind." Her audacious lover said with a smile, trailing his thumb under her chin to turn her to face him. "After all, I'm enjoying the view too."

Then it hit her, with the force of a freight train, sending her into a blush so severe it could have been classified as postural hypertension, that apart from the black digital watch banded across her wrist she was utterly stark naked. Without a word she bolted under her covers, pulling it over her head as she tried to get her bashfulness under control.

"Hey Naoto..." Souji lifted a corner of the thin blanket, beaming as the coy girl glared at him from underneath. "As much as I'd love to play with you in there, I think you have to start getting ready."

Naoto was always overly self-conscious. Despite everything between them, Souji had not yet been able to get her to shake her vulnerability. However, slowly, she was coming out of her shell, although it took quite a bit of merciless effort on his part.

Blushing hard against the muffle of the thin folds, Naoto mumbled for the time, to which Souji responded by shaking his watch out and displayed it at the gap in the cover.

"Its noon already?" She exclaimed as she sat up in a panic, wrapping the covers around her as she did so. She stared in disbelief at her own watch.

"Indeed, but I'd say it was really our fault for staying up so late," remarked the fair-haired teen, completely unabashed, flashing her a wolfy grin. "You have just enough time for a shower before we have to leave."

"Right." Naoto muttered, though not moving. She stared up at him meaningfully, which he chose to ignore.

"Nao~, you don't have any time to waste." He teased with a wink, grinning widely as his lover glared at him, his intentions painfully obvious.

Naoto's expression softened, slowly melting into a cryptic smile. Her movements were sudden and without warning, catching even Souji by surprise as she dumped the blanket over his head, tangling it around him.

By the time he managed to pull it off Naoto was nowhere to be seen. The bathroom door slammed loudly as the wardrobe doors, thrown wide open, still moved with momentum. Several items of the dangling clothing within swayed tellingly.

Despite his disappointment, Souji could not help but laugh at her over-the-top response to his high jinks.

He stood from the bed and stretched, taking his time to get dressed and hunting down his clothes scattered about the room. A smile spread across his lips as he untangled his trousers from the Featherman pyjama bottoms balled at the foot of the bed. A memory teased across his mind, one of Naoto standing by the bathroom door, looking severely bashful as she tugged on one of her pyjama sleeves. She had obliged Souji's request in a rare act of voluntarily discomfort and had put them on with full knowledge they weren't going to stay on.

Rarely did this shy girl engage in such displays, having convinced herself of the notion that it was shameful for her to act anything other than mature, though that was only half of the issue. The other half was her overly self-conscious nature which prevented her from even changing in front of Souji, the man with whom she shared her most intimate moments. Oddly enough, when he undressed her it was a bit of a different story...

She spent so long concerned with how people perceived her. She adjusted her appearance to manipulate impressions to the extent that she had found it hard to let her guard down, even around him. As adorable as her quirks were, Souji couldn't help but feel that it wasn't healthy.

Deep in thought, the fair-haired teenager dressed himself in the polo shirt and slacks he had arrived in the day before. As he stripped the bed sheets and blanket cover, Naoto darted out from the bathroom and straight for the wardrobe before doubling back to the bathroom again. She was so quick that Souji barely had time to register her blue shirt was only half buttoned. When she finally emerged she was wearing a different shirt.

Her chest was once again bound flat, a feat Souji considered rather painful. He knew those bindings caused her a certain degree of discomfort. It impacted on her to the point that she even had problems respiring upon exertion, which he recently discovered was really the only reason why she hated exercise, otherwise he could attest she was superbly athletic despite her slender physique.

Instead of wearing the powder blue shirt she usually wore for summers over her slim form, Naoto wore her white formal shirt with its sleeves rolled up to around her elbows. The tails of the shirt was neatly tucked into her black slacks.

Souji looked her over curiously, wondering as to why she chose her high-collared winter-wear rather than her line of low-collared summer shirts.

"It's going to be fairly warm today." He mentioned amidst his pondering gaze. "Are you sure you want to wear that?"

A resigned smile played across her lips as she wove her ribbon into a smart little bow around her neck, "...I'm afraid the mirror informed me I had no options on the matter."

"Why? What's-?" A quick memory bolted across his mind, interrupting his question with an answer that forced a noise of realisation from him. His affinity for placing love bites on the soft flesh of her neck was the reason why she was going to have an uncomfortable day.

With a faint chuckle, Souji tried to come up with an excuse for her instead. "Well then... Couldn't you just claim it is a mosquito bite, or...?" Souji trailed off sheepishly at Naoto's silent 'No' expression. Dejectedly, he slunk past her into the bathroom to deposit the towel and the sheets into the washing machine.

Naoto, grimacing, strode over to the window and yanked apart the curtains to let in the bright mid-day summer sun. Souji squinted painfully as he re-entered the room, the washing machine humming in his wake.

He strode over to Naoto's now-cleared desk to pack up his pile of completed summer homework, dropping them into his bag in order of due date. She had in fact re-organised the entire residence the day before he arrived by train, going so far as obtaining a new book case so she could finally clear her desk, then shoving everything else on the floor into boxes.

Even her kitchen experienced a transformation, though not by any effort on her behalf. Since Souji ended up coming over often to study and complete homework, a seemingly innocent act which often ended with him spending the night, and not always for practical reasons, he had taken up responsibility of the kitchen, giving Naoto's nutritional intake a much needed overhaul. She didn't complain about her drastically changed diet, especially not when California rolls were on the menu.

As Souji placed his stationery into the carrier slots in his bag's front pocket, Naoto stared glumly out the window. The parted curtains displayed a vision of a day so warm she could practically see heat waves radiating from the concrete.

She was going to miss her air conditioning.

* * *

><p>The original plan was for everyone to meet at the Dojima residence at three in the afternoon. As such, Naoto and Souji had planned to arrive well before then to stave off awkward questions. They succeeded in timing their arrival as planned. Unfortunately, nobody else did. For some unfathomable reason everyone had decided to show up a good hour and a half early. When the two stepped through the door, they jumped in unison at the sight of the living room filled with lounging friends.<p>

"Hey, Partner!" Yosuke called from the couch as all their heads turned to regard the two standing in the doorway. "Where were you?"

Naoto froze in horror on the spot, and her attempts at subduing the expression jamming up any possibility of her thinking up a good excuse. Souji was a little surprised as well, but pulled himself together a lot faster. "I didn't bring any text books so I was studying at Naoto's." He hefted his bag to emphasise his workload.

"Oh crap! Homework!" Yosuke jumped up off the couch, apparently only just remembering. Chie also winced at the mention, but Kanji's reaction was surprisingly mild, opting instead to just stare at the ground as if he'd given up on school altogether. Rise didn't even bat an eyelash, most likely because she didn't have to worry about academics as an idol.

Instead of studying, the group had been mostly gathering to visiting the TV world this holiday, driven mostly by nostalgia and the fact that their 'leader' was once again amongst them. They'd picnic among the hills and swim in the lake, not that Naoto would partake in that particular activity. It was like their private playground. As a result, everyone ended up a little more tanned and a lot less prepared for school.

Nanako pouted a little as she tugged on Souji's shirt. "Big bro..." She looked down and mumbled in a low voice, causing him to bend down to hear. "Will you help me with my work again?"

Souji gave a gentle smile; even though his little cousin wasn't always taken along to the group's frequent Junes outings this holiday she apparently still found a way to bludge it away.

He patted her head, muttering back in a low voice, "Did someone not learn from last year?" Nanako gave a tearful pout, to which Souji responded by wrapping his arms around her and pulling her into a hug. "It's okay, I'll help. But you need to learn to be more organised alright? Big brother might not be around to help next time."

"I will..." she sniffled, then leapt backwards from his arms in alarm. "Big Bro! You're not coming back?"

Souji's brows rose marginally, then quickly settled into a neutral expression. "I can make no promises. Universities have a heavy work load, and I'm going to a place very far from Inaba."

"Tokyo isn't that far man!" Yosuke exclaimed. "It's-what, four hours by bullet-train?"

"And a university workload is so much lighter than third year!" Chie exclaimed. "I'm sort of envious of you uni guys. I'm going straight into the Force."

"Wait, what?" Naoto pitched in. "But I told you. You need a degree to become a police detective!"

"Aw... Yeah, but I could also just do five years patrol and an exam."

"But competition is fierce!" Naoto continued "If you get a degree prior you will outshine your competition!"

Chie sighed. "But...I'll have to get in to the course...and that means I'll have to study...and you know..."

"An effort now will save you effort in five years."

The concept seemed to strain Chie. "But...effort...now..."

"Chie-san! No excuse! I'll tutor you if I have to!"

"Yeah come on, Chie." Yosuke piped in. "You don't want to be the only one of us that doesn't get into a university."

Chie rounded on him. "Oh? I don't see you getting perfect scores! In fact I could have sworn you completely bombed the last exam!"

Yosuke cringed and meekly turned to Naoto. "...How about you tutor me too?"

Naoto crossed her arms, a look of smug satisfaction barely contained on her face. Before she could answer however, Souji cut her off, slinking his arm around her shoulder and stooping casually by her. "I thought I'd remind everyone _who_ called _whom_ useless last year." He beamed as both parties freaked out for completely different reasons.

As Yosuke began to profusely apologise and Naoto stood frozen like a deer stunned in headlights, Souji slid away casually to observe the resulting chaos from a safe distance. The amused grin he sported dimmed when he caught sight of Kanji glaring at him from across the room, unnoticed by everyone else. As Souji shot him a questioning glance, Kanji turned away, simultaneously attempting and failing to hide his aggravated expression.

* * *

><p>Upon the dipping of the afternoon sun the girls finally decreed it time to get ready. With Nanako by their side and Naoto convinced to tag along to give the boys some time to themselves, the girls headed out to the Amagi Inn to change into their yukatas.<p>

However, plagued by misgivings, Naoto suspected something might be up. That was confirmed the moment she stepped through the door into the room spared for the girls to get changed.

With a shrill horror, she laid eyes on the tailor made Yukata laid out on the low table. The blue fabric contrasted a thin trailing of elegant white shapes of the Morning Glory woven upon the light material, trimmed and cut into a size that left its intended owner with no doubt as to whom it was for.

The girls barred the way out, knowing Naoto would try to escape, and got ready to force her into her yukata. The narrow constrictions of the elegant dress upon the legs made escape substantially more difficult.

"Okay, you have a choice!" Rise grinned brutally as she stood to her right side. She had boxed Naoto into the room with Yukiko standing to the front and Chie standing over to her left. Naoto's smaller size became alarmingly obvious as her three friends loomed over her, even Rise's three centimetres of difference seeming vividly pronounced. "You can either get dressed peacefully and nobody gets hurt. Or...we'll dress you by force!"

Naoto glared stubbornly back, hands balled into fists. "I refuse!" She took half a step back, feeling her leg bump against the low-riding table.

Nanako watched from the doorway a little anxiously. She had no wish that anyone be hurt and at the moment her big brother's friends looked as if they were about to engage in a heavily one-sided wrestling match.

"Wrong answer!" Rise made a sudden motion, causing Naoto to react, turning quickly towards her right to fend off the attack. Too late did she realise that, upon Rise's triumphant smile, she fell for a simple feign. She felt the strong muscular yet slim arms clamp down around under her arms and looping around over her shoulders meeting behind her neck, trapping her in a restrictive and almost painful hold.

She struggled to break loose but recognised the futility as Chie tightened her powerful grip, instantly realising in a battle of brute strength she had Naoto, and likely everyone else excluding Kanji and possibly Souji depending on which persona he currently favoured, heavily outclassed. This was especially so if she had the advantage of position and pressure points on her side thanks to all of the classic kung-fu films she watched to the point of memorization.

Yukiko turned to usher the worried Nanako out of the room, confident Rise and Chie had things 'under control.' She planned to help get Nanako dressed first and then return later to help Rise and Chie put the finishing touches on Naoto's outfit.

As Yukiko stepped out she shot a reassuring smile to the outraged girl, still struggling uselessly against Chie's iron-clad grip.

"Now then..." Rise crooned as she tugged the ends of Naoto's neck ribbon, pulling the knot loose and smoothly sliding the strand free. Naoto's glare melted into a look of horror as the unrelenting idol began to unbutton her collar. "Shall we get started?"

* * *

><p>"Where are they?" Yosuke whined as he stared down the shrine gate.<p>

Beside him Souji nodded in agreement to his friend's complaint. "They're late..." He said as his eyes turned to the same spot.

Teddie stood a little ways behind them, playing with his shirt ruffles and practically bursting with restless energy as his eyes peered along the gate and its boundaries for any sign of the yukata-clad beauties. Kanji stood on the other side of Yosuke, slumped and disheartened as he gazed at the festival stands that lined the path. Souji glanced sideways towards him with a hint of worry.

"Whoa, dude! They're here!" The rowdy teenager squeaked with excitement, straining on his tiptoes to get a better look. The four and a half anticipated figures stepped into sight, and then were quickly engulfed by a small bustling crowd of festival-goers.

As Rise elbowed her way through towards them with Nanako in tow, Souji turned to Yosuke, eyebrow quirked. "Why are you so excited? It's not like this is the first time you've seen the girls dressed up before."

"Well, true..." Yosuke admitted. "But this is the first time we'll see Naoto all dressed up!"

Souji's eyebrows disappeared into his fringe, before setting in an annoyed frown. He bit back the retort forming on his tongue and glared at the happily oblivious Yosuke, still straining to catch sight of this once in the life-time event. His eyes suddenly met Kanji's moody stare, who after another moment of observation sullenly turned away.

"What? Where is she?" Yosuke's wail snapped Souji's attention back to the events at hand.

"Where's who?" Chie asked, confused as she and Yukiko emerged from the sea of bodies.

"Where's the Detective Princess?" Yosuke whined, craning his neck over the four girls standing before him, hoping to find the elusive figure crouching behind them.

Chie made an annoyed sound in the back of her throat, which quickly turned to an utter of surprise as she realised Naoto really had disappeared. The three girls turned back, looking up and down the path they just came.

"She was here just a minute ago!" Yukiko exclaimed, eyes darting from side to side.

Souji heaved a sigh, "I sort of figured this might happen..." He gave a lopsided smile. "Don't worry guys. Get started with the festivities. I'll go look for her." With that he quickly strode off, not giving anyone a chance to object. The last he heard from the group that night was that of Rise gossiping to the disappointed Yosuke that Naoto was probably just embarrassed about the exceptional mosquito bite she had suffered.

He proceeded in the general direction the gaggles of people were headed, figuring her sudden act of ninjitsu was most likely attributed to blending with the passing crowd. As he rounded the side-stalls and headed for the path that wound away from the Shrine into the lightly wooded area beyond, heavy footsteps sounded from the cobblestones behind him.

"Senpai!" A voice called, causing him to pause mid-step as he recognised the owner.

He turned, a little apprehensive, and acknowledged it. "Kanji..."

His tall underclassman ploughed through the crowds, heading in his general direction. The intense look in his eyes upon his stony face made him look more the part of the delinquent than his bleached blond hair, his piercings and the skull printed on his shirt ever could.

Yet, Souji knew better. Kanji was no delinquent. He had a gentler soul than anyone he had ever known, though one could hardly tell from the almost-resentful glare he was giving his senior at the moment.

"What's wrong?" Souji asked, his mind pulling together his observations of how Kanji had been acting the previous few weeks, realising grimly that he probably knew why.

"Senpai..." Kanji trailed off, as he stood before Souji, intensity radiating from his eyes. After a moment he dropped his gaze.

Souji let the silence sit for a moment, realising the burden that sat with him now and the pain he was about to inflict upon the young man who always looked up to him. With a slow intake of breath he said, "...I'm sorry."

Kanji looked up sharply, his confusion and anxiety barely contained in his eyes. "...'Bout what, Senpai?" His initial hesitation gave him away. He was hoping against hope Souji's words were not directed at the subject of his thoughts.

Souji shifted uncomfortably, crossing and uncrossing his arms over his polo-shirt. "I think you know..."

Kanji's eyes slowly widened as his brows scrunched together. "...Are you...and Naoto...?"

"...Yes."

Kanji's stony exterior cracked, shock plastered starkly across his face. His words caught in his throat as his expression froze between outrage and shock. "When?" He managed to choke out.

"...Almost a year now. Before the conclusion of the Midnight Channel." Souji answered with his head bowed.

For a moment, Kanji looked almost as if he was going to hit him. His friend's chest bared and teeth gritted in fury. Then, the moment passed. His shoulders slumped as his brows parted into a distant gaze, defeat worn across his body language and face alike.

"I'm sorry..." Souji muttered again.

He knew Kanji had been interested in Naoto since the first day he laid eyes on her, before he even knew she was a girl, before Souji even noticed her. In some ways Kanji had deserved her affections more, as his indiscriminate care for the young detective was not even impacted by her apparent gender before the truth revealed otherwise.

In the end Souji knew the person they would ultimately hurt the most would be the young man standing before him. They'd inadvertently strung him along, allowed him to think he still had a chance when in reality Souji had laid claim in secret long before.

"Senpai..." Kanji's voice pierced through his senior's veil of guilt. As he Shuffled on the spot his voice cracked in his throat. "...You take care of her, y'hear?" He glared, meeting Souji's surprised eyes. "I-If I hear yer treatin' her badly, I'm gonna rip ya a new one."

Slowly, Souji lips drew back in a tight smile. "I'd expect you to."

And with that Kanji turned away. Unable to face his Senpai anymore, his eyes gazed distantly upon the cobblestones before his feet as he stalked back into the crowds.

* * *

><p>"Whoa... Who do you think she is?"<p>

"I don't know. I've never seen her before."

"Do you think she's from out of town?"

Souji slouched up the temple path, twisting away from the shrine and the main slew of festival stalls. His attention was suddenly drawn by a small cluster of boys hovering by the tree-line, peering intently into it, half-crouched as if they were attempting to be discrete.

"You there!" Souji called, causing the boys to jump. "May I remind you that stalking is illegal?"

"What?" One of the boys growled indignantly. "We're not... Who the hell are you?"

"I'm the nephew of Inaba's head detective." Souji proclaimed with a painted sneer, pulling himself into a stance that radiated pure confidence.

Immediately the boys shirked away. With an uttered oath they turned tail and ran; the mixture of intimidation and authority had stricken inexplicable fear within them.

Souji watched them disappear into the festival crowds, letting his pretence drop as he relaxed back into his default persona.

He turned curiously towards the tree line the boys had been staring through. He breathed a sigh of relief, recognising the person before him immediately, while at the same time his eyebrows danced with surprise at the sight of an incredible change in her appearance.

Naoto sat on an overgrown tree-root, body twisted as to present her back towards him. Her arms wrapped crossed in front of her chest.

And even in the semi-darkness, with her head turned and bowed, he could make out her blush, for her attire was the very definition of elegant femininity.

The yukata she wore gleamed silvery blue, its pattern and colours melding together in the faded light. It hugged her figure, accentuating the curves of her waist and hips, and if she were to turn around Souji was willing to bet it promoted even more.

"Are they gone?" Her quiet voice pierced the night's stillness. Naoto turned her head slightly, letting her short collar partially hide her face as she glanced at Souji from the corner of her eye. The red mark upon the nape of her neck had almost completely faded, and it was all but indistinguishable against her blushing skin.

"Turned tail and ran." He answered, stepping through the brush. He strode over and plopped himself down upon the root beside her. The shy detective continued to have her back turned adamantly against him.

He softly brushed his fingers through the stock of dark hair that was swept upwards and pinned, styled so that the locks that usually flowed around her neck were fanning out up and to the right with strands flickering gently in the breeze. "Won't you face me?"

Naoto stirred but she was hesitant to turn. A soft blush tinged the tips of her ears.

"Alright... Don't worry about it. We can talk like this." Souji withdrew his hand and scooted a little to the side to give her some space. She lowered her head slightly, however if it was due to relief or disappointment he couldn't tell.

Allowing the silence to settle between them, Souji leant back, rolling his thoughts around until he came to the decision to speak of what was troubling him. "...About Kanji..." Naoto instantly stiffened, turning to glance over her upright collar. Noticing her reaction he changed the question on the tip of his tongue. "Did you say something to him?"

"...No." Naoto looked away, shifting uncomfortably.

"Did he say something to you?"

This time Naoto lifted her eyes to meet Souji's, uncertainty swimming behind them. "...Yes."

"He confessed to you?"

"A month ago..." Naoto paused, but then amended with a sudden panic, "I-I didn't say 'yes'!"

Souji gave a reassuring smile, patting Naoto's head gently, being careful not to mess up her hair. "I know you didn't. Poor guy... I was afraid this might happen."

She turned sharply. "You knew...he felt that way about me?"

"Naoto... You were practically the only one that didn't know."

She glared incredulously as Souji returned her expression with a sad grimace. "Well he knows why now... He figured it out, and I confirmed it."

Naoto knit her brows together, only to then slowly cast her eyes down. "I suppose...he deserves to know..."

"He deserved to know a lot sooner."

"I had no idea... Why didn't you tell me?"

"I know... I'm at fault too." Souji shook his head, and then gave a small bark of laughter in an attempt to dispel the heaviness in the air. "At least we can feel reassured he wouldn't spread it around. Out of everyone we know he's the least inclined to gossip..." He paused, trying to stop his expression from sliding into ruefulness as he joked. "Though if he did, we might finally be able to get rid of your fan club."

Gently, the fair-haired youth reached forward to run his finger along the underside of Naoto's chin. She withdrew with a start; belatedly realising she had been facing him.

Souji cupped his hand lightly to her cheek to stop her from turning away. "On second thought, it might drive them into a yaoi-delusioned frenzy." He gave a quirky grin, trailing his eyes along Naoto, taking in her drastically altered appearance. "...Unless you greeted them like this."

Naoto glared up at him, a light blush peppered across her smooth skin. Her fair complexion seemed to glow in contrast to the darkness surrounding them. Her lips pressed into a line, matching the challenge in her eyes.

Souji raised his hands in surrender. "I won't try anything, I promise. You can handle the girls in your own way. I'm personally more worried about the guys; once they see you like this I anticipate a massive shift in fan base."

Naoto's lips twitched upwards in smothered amusement. "...You know I'm not interested in any of them."

"I know..." Souji grinned back. "It's only that..." He paused, pursing his lips in thought, "I want... As in..." He gave a sheepish smile. "I like how it is... How you show me sides of you that you never show anyone else..." Naoto's eyes widened with surprise as Souji rubbed the back of his head with a blush and a shy grin. "I like being the only one who knows this side of you..." He gave a relenting sigh, still smiling. "I guess I'm a selfish sort of guy."

Naoto blushed deeply, trying to keep a straight face, fighting the corners of her traitor lips from twitching upwards.

Souji brushed her cheek, feeling the warmth beneath his fingers.

He began to lean in with a hand guiding Naoto's lips towards his.

Her eyes widened, darting to the tree lines, causing Souji to pause and make a dissatisfied sound. Naoto glanced at him questioningly as he drew back frowning.

"I'm just..._cautious_." Naoto mumbled, feeling the mood fall apart.

Souji gave a frustrated sigh before pausing in thought for a long moment.

Having seemingly reached a decision, he reached under his shirt and untied a pouch, disproportionately rectangular in shape from his belt. "...I was going to wait a week..." He pushed the felt pouch into Naoto's hands. "...But then I thought that, considering I'll be helping Nanako-chan with her homework every night, I might not be able to spend any more time with you. At least not alone, away from prying eyes..." His eyes drifted away as he smiled wistfully. "So I suppose now is as good as time as any."

Naoto felt the object. It was light yet balanced in her hand. She pulled open the drawstrings and tipped out the content.

A pen slid out onto her palm.

With a hint of surprise, she held it up to her eyes and tried to catch the details in the dim light seeping through the trees from the festivities.

The shell glowed a beautiful ebony, its shape both sleek and elegant in her hand. Its nose and tail was trimmed with a hint of brass which pulled into an entwined pattern down the hooked clip.

As she turned it in keen observation, the sparse light caught upon irregularities etched into the brass band ringed around the mid-section, forcing her to squint to make out the words.

"I had your name etched into it." Souji whispered at her ear, his lips upturned in a gentle smile as Naoto's sharp eyes widened with recognition.

He watched as her inquisitive eyes traced down the surface and anticipated her discovery of the pen's secrets. She twisted it, watching the pieces turn at the brass band in the middle, watching the nib extend and retract. Her eyes suddenly darted upwards, spotting the little shift in movement of the clip opposing the original twist motion.

Her fingers flew to the top as she ran them along the surface, searching for irregularities with both touch and sight. As her fingers brushed against the twisting pattern of the pen's clip, her eyes widened with realisation, recognising the pattern as not just being blind decoration.

She slipped her fingers around it, her index and mid finger sliding into the groves created by the twisting shape, her thumb pressed in the groove on other side. Gently, she pinched down on the clip and twisted it in the opposite direction. Immediately she felt it give away, the top shell loosened from the main body, and came away.

A blade sat gleaming beneath it.

She gasped, a little taken aback.

"It's a letter opener. In case you're wondering." Souji answered her unspoken question, smiling at her apparent alarm. "It's not actually a concealed weapon. It's not even very sharp."

He watched her test his statement, running her finger gently against the dull rounded edge of the blade, and seeming to calm a little, curiosity overtaking initial shock.

"I saw the little gimmick at Port Island. Somehow... it reminded me of you." He murmured, breath tickling her exposed ear. "After all, you seem to have a love for things with dual functions and quirky little mysteries."

Naoto grinned with an almost childish delight at the contraption. "It appears you comprehend me too well." Then she looked up with frown as a question hung in her eyes. "But, is this meant to be a birthday present?"

"No." Souji gave a low chuckle. "It's an anniversary gift. In just over a week it'll be a year since we first officially met."

Naoto gave a start, face changing colour yet again. "A-anniversary?" Then her expression turned to horror as she realised she had absolutely nothing to give in return.

"Keep it close to you, that's all I want in return." Souji replied to her unspoken thought.

Naoto looked as if she was going to protest before he laid a hand on her shoulder, quelling her words.

"You've already given me so many happy memories... I ask that you keep it, to remember me..." A shadow fell over his face, his smile not seeming to meet his eyes, his lips drawn up tight.

Naoto squinted in the darkness, unable to fully make out his features.

Glancing outwards into the darkness Souji bit his lip, but he soon composed himself. "Naoto... I'll try everything in my power to get to Tokyo." He paused, and slowly shook his head. "As selfish as I am... I can't ask you to wait forever..." Even in the darkness, Naoto could see the sadness in his eyes. "Whatever the result... I promise you... I won't make you wait any more."

A silence fell between them, pierced only by the chirping of cicadas and the beating of Naoto's own heart.

She licked her dry lips, tentatively taking a breath. "But...your academics... They're on par." She'd watched him work and knew there was no way he could miss the cut off for that university.

Souji gave a wan smile. "And all I can to do is keep on working. So don't worry about that. Now it really all depends on luck...or fate."

Naoto parted her lips as a question formed on her tongue. Souji leant in, meeting her lips with his and silencing her question with his affection.

"Please," he whispered as they drew apart, "let's not talk about this anymore."

Naoto raked her eyes across his features, frustrated at the darkness enshrouding his details and at the ominous nature of his cryptic words.

Having invaded her life and allowing her no hold in his...

Souji leant in again.

His kiss was so familiar, yet...

For the first time, Naoto noticed a tension, a deep, strange tension held within it.

She wondered how long it had been there...

...And why had she had never noticed it before.

Was it he who was at fault for keeping it hidden?

Or was it hers, to have never noticed?

* * *

><p><strong>Big Announcement: <strong>**The Fanartist Kharta (who had done so many awesome fanarts for this fic) has decided to take on "Fate or Fortune" as his first manga project. Debut at the beginning of the next year on Deviant Art. If you liked this fic then look forward to the Doujinshi adaptation!**

Tools of the Trade: People are possibly wondering if the letter-opener pen is real. I would like to confirm it exists. I first knew of their existence when I was shown one in Japan. A guy on the same exchange trip that I was on bought one from an undisclosed location. I don't personally own one 'cause I didn't have the guts to smuggle it through airport security. He did. I regretted it ever since. He had managed to sneak it through easily because the entire pen was made out of metal, so the x-ray machine had no way of knowing a letter opener was concealed within. Though it's not something I recommend people try now a days, pens are probably banned in airports anyway -w-'

Kharta has created a very artsy title page for this fanfic. Check it out. Link is on the top of my profile page. His continuation artwork for chapter 10 is also finished. Link in my profile.

A thank you to my Beta reader and video game reviewer Jahan. If anyone is into video games take a look at his reviews on the PALGN site. Needless to say he did the Persona 4 review. Find the link to the persona 4 review on my profile page.

Another thank you to my second Beta reader Bukala who not only has edited my fanfic for a smoother read but has graciously agreed to use his time to tutor me on how to fine-tune my writing skills. Not every fanfic writer gets such an opportunity to learn.

Disclaimer: I do not own Persona. If I did Naoto really would have a scene in a Yukata. So unfair she comes AFTER everyone else has all the fun. I have a feeling if she pinned her hair up she'd look like the splitting image of P3 femprot... Now its all up to the anime to give us the fan-service we crave.

Next update on the 28th of October:

Priestess: The Shard of Promise

_The past returns as doubt accrues, _

_The mind rejects the heart's last ruse_


	13. Priestess: The Shard of Promise

Fate or Fortune

Priestess: The Shard of Promise

_The past returns as doubt accrues, _

_The mind rejects the heart's last ruse_

**Tuesday, March 21****st**** 2017 **

**San Diego; USA**

Feeling the familiar sensation of motion, Naoto stood silently in the elevator, contemplating the implications of the secretary's reappearance.

Was he rescued? If so, then by whom?

By Souji?

It was entirely possible. He'd done so in the past.

He could have located the victim, protected him from the dangers persisting within and transported him back to a TV hub, using his persona wielder status to open the port and allow the victim to escape through.

Naoto shook her head with a hint of irritation. She was getting ahead of herself. All she really knew at this point was that the missing secretary had just turned up at the office an hour ago. She can't even be fully sure this was related to the television world at all.

Beside her Nathan shifted restlessly, the elevator ride taking too long for his liking. The moment the upward momentum grinded to a halt he sprang out before the sliding doors even fully opened. Naoto's hand automatically darted out, catching Nathan by the tail of his jacket and forcing him to slow down to a stop, but not before his eagerness had dragged her several steps. Without a word from the petite detective, she strode in front, setting the pace for a proper dignified entrance.

As she approached the end of the hallway, her ears were greeted by the tone of raised voices. They were exceedingly muffled and not likely originating from the waiting room behind this door. Rather, she suspected they came from the office beyond.

She instinctively slowed to a stop as she strained her ears to make out the words. Before she could glen any information, Nathan stepped past her and automatically rapped his knuckles loudly on the door. Naoto paused in surprise, not expecting him to proceed so thoughtlessly. In response, the muffled voices ceased, causing her to glower at the impatient American who, in his excitement, had yet to notice anything.

A click could be heard from within, the sound of a door being opened, confirming Naoto's suspicion that the voices originated from behind two sets of doors. An unfamiliar voice then called out, "It's open!"

Nathan instantly pressed down on the handle, pushing the door open so quickly he nearly chased its momentum into the room. Naoto followed after and held her composure despite being thoroughly resigned to her escort's lack thereof.

As the young detective stepped into the room, her eyes were drawn upwards to the familiar face of a blond man standing before the barred entrance to the office. It was the very same man she had observed on the security footage.

Upon closer inspection Naoto could not help but notice he looked unnaturally symmetrical, with nose, eyes and bone structure to appear akin to those of carved marble statues. He looked to be fairly young for a man in his position, his appearance putting him in an age-range comparable to that of Nathan's. He appeared exceedingly tall, though in reality probably only slightly taller than Nathan. He only seemed abnormally tall because of his extraordinary lankiness; it was almost as though he had been stretched thin like salt-water taffy. It was a wonder how he could find suits that would fit, but then again he appeared to be the type of man who would simply have them custom tailored.

Naoto's sharp eyes observed the momentum carrying this man's motion as if he had only just straightened up from a twisting slouch, his hand moving towards his side and his gait somewhat crooked. He had only just pulled the door closed, fairly softly at that, which was strange considering the slight flush to his face and the subtle expression of frustration he bore beneath a polite exterior, all factors which pointed to him as a participant in the discord Naoto had heard. The emotional state accompanying a heated argument was usually anger or frustration, both of which encouraged, and in turn were encouraged by, the release of adrenaline - an effect which did not result in the gentle closing of doors...

"Good afternoon. I am Detective Evans with the SDPD" Nathan whipped out his wallet to display his badge ever so proudly before turning to introduce Naoto. "And this here is-"

"Detective Naoto Shirogane." She proclaimed as she stepped forward, offering her hand. The exceedingly tall Caucasian man, acting instinctively, took it and gave her a very firm, corporate handshake.

His hands were amazingly steady; something paradoxical to the effects of adrenaline release. There should have been slight muscle tremor. Maybe she had assumed incorrectly when she spotted the slight flush on his face.

As Naoto withdrew she sized up the man standing before her. He seemed to be a disciplined man, one able to compose himself at a moment's notice and unlikely to have been the angry shouter in the argument. These were qualities befitting that of a high ranking corporate secretary. Yet his strangely calloused fingers and rough palms were not so befitting for a career of writing, sorting and typing.

"Michael Teav." The man answered in a strangely accented tone, withdrawing his hand from the grip of the much smaller hand.

"I would like to ask you a few questions concerning your disappearance." Naoto began, watching his face carefully. She quickly realised the man's expression changed very little from his stony default, adding extra difficulty to Naoto's already less-than-on-par ability to observe emotional state. "Can you tell us about what happened?"

Teav stood silent and maybe the subtlest hint of a frown appeared on his brow, Naoto could not be sure. "I'm afraid... I cannot say."

The previous kidnappings and imprisonments within the TV world had often left victims with some memory impairment, but that was partly due to the method employed in the events leading up to the initial entrance into the television. They'd been knocked out with chloroform. The memory impairment had never extended all the way to the rescue itself.

"You cannot, or will not?"

"Are you accusing my secretary of something?" A booming voice demanded. The thick office door swung inwards admitting the hook-nosed Japanese CEO, Taketo Saito.

Just one glance was all Naoto really needed to confirm this had been the man she heard shouting earlier, his face flushed, dark eyes glistening with anger. She didn't really need to touch his hand to know he had an agitated tremor.

A look of unnaturally forced veneration broke through Teav's stoic exterior. "Sir, you're a busy man. You needn't concern yourself with me."

The executive paused, looking for a second to be on the brink of lashing out at such impertinence. Instead he simply scowled deeply, fine lines pulling across his face, causing Naoto to guess this was most likely his default expression. "And you are the secretary for this busy man. Don't waste time and get back to work. Your absence was a great inconvenience." And with that he turned around and strode back into his office, slamming the door loudly to make certain that everyone got the not too subtle message of his displeasure.

"...What a way to make an impression." Nathan mumbled under his breath, eliciting a mildly apologetic look from Teav.

"I am sorry, but Mr. Saito is right. I have to get back to work."

Naoto stared through a steady frown, slipping her hand on her hip. "It looked to me like Mr. Saito did not want you talking to us." Teav's eyebrows twitched the very slightest, enough to confirm Naoto had hit the nail on the head.

"The situation...it is bad for the image of this company..." Teav slowly admitted.

"How so?" Not being of economic stock, Naoto failed to see how the kidnapping and attempted murder of one of its employees would offset public opinion.

"...This branch has only very recently been developed as a priority venture. Too many issues within the company reflect badly on management."

Naoto frowned. "Are you saying this company has issues?"

"All companies have issues when finding their feet, especially so during the transition between different management."

"This company has changed management?"

Teav paused, but then cleared his throat. "I apologise. I had assumed you already knew. It is public knowledge after all that Mr. Saito came into management, highly recommended from Japan, after the prioritising of this branch around six years ago." He pursed his lips in a strangely impassive way. "I would not say we have had more problems than the average redesign transition. Do not take what I've said as a comment about our quality."

Naoto paused to digest this, sifting through this new piece of information, then decided it was not satisfactory. "Forgive me for my ignorance, but I still do not fully understand how your disappearance would reflect badly on management."

Teav paused again, face still expressionless as he considered her words and his. "...All events and words influence public opinion. Not all are predictable, but one can be assured it would most definitely be negative."

Nathan chipped in as Naoto paused to change tactics. "Are you keeping quiet because where you ended up spirited away was so unbelievable that it would open you to ridicule?" The barest hint of surprise touched Teav's face, encouraging him to continue. "Were you trapped in the television?"

Teav's eyebrows raised in a visible show of astonishment. "How did-? What are you-?"

"Don't worry! We believe you!" the eager detective quickly asserted, indicating Naoto with a flourish. "The Japanese detective over here is a specialist who's worked with cases like yours before."

Incredulity radiated from the secretary's stoic features. "Are you telling me...the police are taking the concept of being trapped in a television..._seriously_?"

"Of course!" Nathan exclaimed. "We're going all lengths to solve this case!"

Teav chewed his lip slowly, brows pinched together ever so slightly in his mild form of deep contemplation. "Alright then... On the grounds this does not get leaked to the media or otherwise, I shall put forth my statement that I was pulled into and trapped within the television."

Nathan jumped, his face ecstatic. "Can you describe the ordeal? What was it like on the other side?" he asked excitedly.

"I'm... not sure how to describe it..." The secretary answered slowly, voice full of scepticism though face showing none. "Empty? As in... I did not venture very far but from what I've seen... It was like...like an exact replica of this city...only completely empty." He paused, rubbing his chiselled chin.

Naoto contemplated his words, his descriptions not matching the image of the world she remembered. "What do you mean by empty? You mean devoid of all life? Or just human?"

"...Now that you mention it, there were other creatures there too..." Teav nodded, the barest hint of emotion touching his features.

"Can you describe them?"

The tall secretary stood in silence, his face not betraying his thoughts in the slightest. "...I don't know. Kind of...human shaped...and shining- Like a light bulb, but in an oddly hazy way... Like how you expect ghosts to look like."

Now that really didn't sound like the world Naoto remembered.

"Were they aggressive?"

"Not at all."

"Was there a thick blanket of fog?"

"...No?" Teav's immobile face looked slightly confused, as if he had no idea where this line of questioning was going.

This had Naoto stumped.

She now had positive confirmation the TV world was somehow involved, but what the man described... Could it possibly be a new shadow form she had never encountered before? Yet for them to be unaggressive on fogless days...

It begged the question: How had the first three victims been killed?

"Mr. Teav. Can you describe how you arrived within the TV world?"

He paused as if to think deeply on the matter, his expression continuing to not give any of his musings away. A long moment passed, causing Naoto to suspect the man may also have been a victim of chloroform. That theory was dashed upon his next words when he finally spoke again.

"...Someone had pulled me inside. From within the television."

Naoto gave a start. "What do you mean?"

The secretary appeared to pause in thought once more. "I was pulled inside when I was cleaning the television." He began slowly. "I do that every day after Mr. Saito leaves, as well as polish and arrange his desk. We do not trust the cleaning staff in Mr. Saito's office. You understand his caution..." He glanced at Naoto, sensing she was the one actually conducting the investigation. She nodded in response, motioning for him to continue. "When I had stood in front of the screen... Well... All I saw was my own reflection. Then hands came out of the surface, taking me by surprise and dragging me inside."

"Did you see your attacker?"

"...Sort of. Fortunately I had my gun on me. I fought him off." He brushed the right drape of his jacket to the side revealing a pair of fine leather gloves, tucked neatly into his belt, next to which was a previously concealed leather holster containing a semi-automatic. "It is fully registered, and I am safety certified." He answered the question he assumed to be behind Naoto's alarmed expression.

"Why are you carrying a gun?" The young detective questioned. "Were you expecting trouble?"

Both Teav and Nathan turned to regard her with amusement, Nathan more than Teav. "He's got the right to carry a concealed firearm if he's certified and the gun in question is licensed," the American detective answered. "There's a little more to it but that's the basic gist." Then he added in an offhand manner to the annoyance of the secretary, "Besides, he's a Texan; these cowboys don't go anywhere unarmed."

"I know your gun laws." Naoto stated after suppressing a sigh. "What I don't understand is why carry it on your person. You are not in a job that is under the threat of life and death."

Teav looked mildly insulted. "I don't know what you consider a threat, but in my position I handle some of the finances and almost all of the information coming in and out of this company, any of which, in the wrong hands could be detrimental to our income and performance. As thus I consider myself to be in a very volatile position. At any time I could become a victim of corporate sabotage, or even simply the target of a small time thug."

"I see... Well then I apologise. This sort of behaviour is unfamiliar to me." Naoto tipped her cap in deference. "But I would like to ask you to re-evaluate your statements before. You had claimed there had been no one else apart from you."

Teav froze, appearing to recall his previous words. "Ah. I misspoke then. There was one other person in there with me: a young man with white hair."

Naoto did a double take. "Was this the man you shot at?"

The secretary gave a firm nod. "Yes."

"I see..." Naoto closed her eyes, sighing inwardly. Slowly, her brows pulled together as doubt appeared upon her face. "One last question, Mr. Teav. Who let you out of there?"

* * *

><p>"Hands coming out of the TV? Damn that's spooky! It's just like something out of 'The Ring'!" Nathan exclaimed loudly as he drove, headed back to the station. "I swear I'm not going to be able to sleep tonight!"<p>

He paused, waiting for a reaction from Naoto, but receiving none he glanced sideways at her. The young detective was reclined in her seat, deep in thought, staring distantly out her passenger window watching a drizzle of rain paint the road slick, the moisture reflecting dully off the surface fuelled only by the artificial light of street lamps.

The young spring sun had been on the crux of twilight when they set out from the precinct, painting the clouds upon the horizon a glorious orange, and casting the rest of the world around them a disconcerting contrast. It had fully set long before they had even arrived at the company block.

"Case got you down?" Nathan questioned as his eyes flickered off the road.

Naoto finally stirred and glanced towards her driver. "Not...entirely. Some things just bother me..."

Nathan's eyes flickered to her again. "Is it because he claimed to have not seen his rescuer's face?"

"No, not that. He explained the stranger was wearing a white hooded jersey drawn up..." She paused, lips twisting into a frown. "Although it is not completely satisfactory the premise is logical if he was under stress."

"Is it that he had been let out long before and never tried to contact anyone to say he was alright?"

Naoto slowly shook her head. The fact that the secretary had been rescued around midmorning and did not go to work till late afternoon was yet again understandable. As the man himself had explained it, he had simply wanted to return home. That was a perfectly natural instinctive desire.

"Then what is it?"

Naoto's brows pinched together. "...Nothing."

Nathan snorted. "That's not the face of 'nothing is wrong'."

She shifted uncomfortably in her seat and then tartly replied. "I am just reflecting on how your interrogation technique leaves much to be desired."

"What?" The American detective's eyebrows pinched upwards. "We got the info didn't we?"

"You put words in his mouth." was her sharp response.

"What? When?"

"When you asked him if he had been inside the TV." She stated. "You should ask open ended questions when trying to obtain information, make him tell you. When you make a suggestion like that, the mind automatically latches onto the notion and uses it to fill in gaps within their memories. Even if an event did not occur, they would fool themselves into believing it had. It's why groups of witnesses to an incident, intermingling before testifying may have consistent but inaccurate information. It should have been covered in basic training."

Nathan threw one hand up in exasperation. "Oh come on! If I didn't say something you'd be dancing around each other for ages! One does not pussyfoot with a closed-lip Texan!" He smirked. "Besides, it turned out for the best didn't it?"

"... Sometimes direct lines of questioning is the only way to proceed, but only when all other options are exhausted." The young detective finally relented. "I only hope you remember for next time."

"But I did the right thing this time no?"

Naoto gave a slow nod in agreement. "We probably would have ended up questioning him directly I'll admit. The man's discipline is impressive. I have never witnessed a man compose his expression so stoically."

Nathan's eyebrows shot up, eyes drifting off the road towards his musing passenger. "Um... You think he's keeping a poker face?"

She nodded. "He's virtually expressionless."

A shadow of amusement twinged at the corners of Nathan's lips. "I hate to break it to you Naoto, but that's not him being stoic."

"What do you mean?" She looked at him sharply, feeling abject horror at the possibility that she had missed something.

Nathan gave a bark of laughter. "He's more plastic than a Chinese candle!" He grinned, amused by his own politically-incorrect joke. Naoto shot him a confused look, prompting him to elaborate. "I mean he's gone under the knife. You know, had a 'nip and a tuck'?"

The realisation lit up in the young detective's eyes. "He's had cosmetic surgery? How can you tell?"

"How can you _not_ tell?"

Naoto fell into a brooding silence, cap tipped heavily forward as if to hide the embarrassment radiating from her face.

On reflection that might have been blatantly obvious. No person could keep their face so immobile under natural means. Even though it was not a rare phenomenon in Japan, Naoto had not yet had the pleasure of dealing with a victim of cosmetic surgery. Or maybe she had and simply could not tell. Inexperience or not, this was a grave error of judgement on her behalf.

"So...did I just win one over the great Detective Shirogane?" Nathan could not help but rub it in, a huge obnoxious grin plastered across his face.

Naoto did not dignify that with a response, opting instead to cover her crimson face with the brim of her cap and sink into the seat.

* * *

><p>Naoto bade Nathan goodnight as she stepped from the car at the curb by the entrance of her hotel. She drew her coat collar around tightly as the torrent of rain that had been but a drizzle not long ago, belted down upon her.<p>

Nathan had offered her his umbrella which she waved off, claiming it wasn't far from the curb to the cover of her hotel. After insisting once more he relented, instead offering a scrap of paper with his number scribbled on it, telling her that if she felt up for it she call him and he'd take her out to see the sights.

Naoto glanced wearily at the miserable downpour and wondered how likely he thought that might be.

She sent him off quickly so that he could complete and submit the report of their findings. Naoto had organised the notes on the drive, so that the process wouldn't take him too long.

Though she had a sneaking suspicion the easily distracted man was more likely going to simply forget and punch out.

Soaked from head to toe, Naoto made her way up to the third floor, leaving sopping footprints in her wake. When she finally reached her room she unlocked and entered, relaxing almost immediately within the privacy of its walls, the prospect of a meal and hot shower within tangible reach.

She removed her shoes and sodden cap, taking both into the bathroom, wringing the drenched headwear out into the sink and hung it to dry upon the plastic hook on the wall. Removing her dripping overcoat she hung it on the hook beside it, letting the runoff hit the floor and seep into the drain.

She glanced to the mirror, gauging her appearance against the order of events she ought to arrange.

Dinner or shower first?

Her newsboy cap had taken most of the brunt of her brief exposure to the torrential downpour, but upon reaching saturation, the moisture had condensed on her head. The tufts of her hair that usually jutted outwards from her hat were now soaked to the point of drooping. Droplets dripped from the tips and ran down her neck.

The drenched detective brushed the ends of her fringe into the sink, squeezing out the excess moisture. She towelled her hair and wiped the moisture from her neck and face. Her top felt mostly dry thanks to having been shielded from the brunt of the storm by her heavy leather coat.

Unfortunately, her trousers felt much less comfortable. The coat only covered to around her knees and as such the rain soaked through the bottom of her pant legs and all through her shoes. Her toes now squelched uncomfortably within her saturated socks against the cold paved floor.

Shower first. Definitely a shower first.

Naoto stripped her socks off and tossed them back into the bathtub.

She returned to the main room, turning on the television and switched it to the News, catching only the tail end of some political report that she couldn't care less about.

Without giving the television another glance Naoto fished her ancient flip phone from her pocket, placing it on the bed-side table with Nathan's scrap of paper pinched between the fold of the phone.

She shrugged off her gun harness, placing it carefully into the drawer furthest from the balcony, on the side of the bed she tended to roll towards when sleeping, reminding herself to do maintenance on it in case of water-logging. She then proceeded to remove her mostly dry wool coat, draping it in a spread across the bed.

After she'd gotten comfortably settled, Naoto proceeded to call for room service. The over-cautious young woman scheduled dinner to be brought up in one hour's time, giving her enough time to shower and redress into dry clothes.

She gathered her spare set of day wear from her briefcase tucked under the bed before returning to the bathroom.

Allowing the running water to heat up, Naoto began to undress, casting the clothes destined for laundry service in a haphazard pile, planning organisation for collection later.

She sighed in appreciation as she stepped in to feel the therapeutic warmth run down her body and chase out the sapping cold from her limbs.

She breathed in deep and relished in the sensation of her lungs expanding to full volume, something she was denied all day due to her restrictive chest-binds. The knots of tension she'd felt for some time slowly loosened in her shoulders.

Naoto allowed the water to simply flow over her for a few minutes, relaxing, but it wasn't before long she began to feel paranoid again. She checked her watch to make sure she had enough time to properly bind herself.

But that wasn't to be.

As she lowered her watch, satisfied there was still plenty of time, she suddenly threw it a double take. She stared back to the clock face as she realised the characters printed on the thin sliver above the time piece no longer read "Out of Range".

He was six meters away.

She leapt out of the standing shower and threw on the bathrobe, pulling it tight around her as to make sure it didn't slip.

Dashing out the door and dripping onto the carpet, she glanced about the empty room.

She turned to front door, cracking it open slightly as she glanced outside.

No one.

She closed it and turned the lock before turning her eyes back within. Her gaze settled on the television.

If he really was moving about unimpeded within that world, there was no reason she wouldn't either.

She glanced at her watch again and received with mixed feelings that it read "Out of Range" once more.

She stared at it numbly, the warble of the evening news barely registering on her mind as it began its report on fad diets and other such timetable fillers.

At the lower right of the watch face the alarm symbol was faded out, indicating the proximity alarm had been deactivated. It was not she who switched it off, which could only mean he did.

Slowly, Naoto made up her mind. Her eyes set in a determined frown as she turned towards the bathroom.  
>She was going to chase after him.<p>

She dropped the bathrobe and towelled herself off, then proceeded to quickly and efficiently bind up.

As she wove the ribbon around her neck she stepped out and approached the television, halting before the screen.

It wouldn't be prudent to go unarmed.

Naoto turned with that in mind, intending to retrieve the revolver stored in the bedside drawer. It was then she froze as her eyes fell upon her bed.

The jacket she had draped over it previously now sat neatly crimped at its foot.

Boldly displayed upon the centre of the folded coat was a brass trimmed ebony pen.

The same pen she had relinquished years ago.

The same pen she knew he had kept.

* * *

><p>AN: A cookie to anyone who can figure out who Michael Teav is a spoof of. Hint: It's not from an anime. He's from a very popular children's book from the 60s, and adapted into a movie in the 70s and then again in the new millennium. This character also had a bad encounter with a television ;D

Kharta has created a very artsy title page for this fanfic. Check it out. Link is on the top of my profile page.

A thank you to my Beta reader and video game reviewer Jahan. If anyone is into video games take a look at his reviews on the PALGN site. Needless to say he did the Persona 4 review. Find the link to the persona 4 review on my profile page.

Another thank you to my second Beta reader Bukala who not only has edited my fanfic for a smoother read but has graciously agreed to use his time to tutor me on how to fine-tune my writing skills. Not every fanfic writer gets such an opportunity to learn.

Disclaimer: I do not own Persona. If I did a younger Naoto would have had a cameo in P3P... Most likely as the detective hired by that drunk monk.

Next update on the 11th of November:

Fortune Reversed: Words Unspoken

_The wheel of fortune hangs reverse, _

_Words unsaid upon pride's curse._


	14. Fortune Reversed: Words Unspoken

Fate or Fortune

Fortune Reversed: Words Unspoken

_The wheel of fortune hangs reverse, _

_Words unsaid upon pride's curse._

**Sunday, December 23****rd**** 2012**

**Inaba; Japan**

The blade of the letter opener slid smoothly through the fold of the envelope, making a satisfying 'snick' as it split open the top. Naoto clicked the cap back over the blade, and with a flourish she tucked it into her coat pocket.

The teenager turned her attention with budding excitement towards the envelope clearly printed with a watermark above her Inaba address.

It was her university acceptance.

She eagerly tipped the paper out and unfolded it with a tremor of anticipation.

As her eyes scanned the page, she suppressed the urge to throw up a victorious fist.

Tokyo University. She was accepted!

Though, it wasn't really surprising. It wasn't like the entrance exams had given her any difficulty, or the exams leading up to them for that matter.

In fact, she didn't know why she was so excited. It had been practically guaranteed.

With a hum of satisfaction Naoto stacked the envelope against the pile of unsorted miscellanea upon her desk.

She slid from her plush chair to sit down on her unmade bed, pulling over her laptop and tugging the power chord nearly to the tethers.

With a swipe across the touchpad she took it out of sleep mode and clicked open her browser, hesitating on the homepage.

Naoto's first thought had been to email Souji with the news and ask him about his results, but...

He hadn't replied in over a month.

Something was wrong...the detective in her felt certain. Things had been different ever since that summer festival.

She should have realised sooner, but she could never keep her cool logic when she was around him.

How could she have missed the signs?

What was Souji not telling her?

With a huffed sigh, she reached for the climate control remote and increased the temperature in the room by another two degrees in a bid to convince herself that her sudden shiver was due to the blizzard howling outside and not the knot of anxiety she held within.

He had said it was all up to luck or fate.

What had he meant?

He was incredibly intelligent. There was no way he wouldn't make the cut into this university.

Yet there he was, counting on luck or the superstitious concept of fate to see him through.

What a joke.

If Naoto had learnt anything in her brief life it was that everyone was the maker of their own destiny. That could not apply to anybody more than Souji.

Countless times Naoto had witnessed his charismatic influence, changing the lives of so many, just by offering advice or simply an ear to listen.

If anything, he was fate.

However...

She clicked open her inbox and stared listlessly at the [0 New Mail] displayed.

Slowly, she brought up a blank mail template and began typing up the news that she had made it into Tokyo. She edited it over and over again until it sounded more like a formal declaration then an announcement of good tidings.

Just as she moved the cursor to the Send button, she suddenly paused, leaving her mouse hovering over the word.

The cursor steadily slid to the x on the top right corner, and then clicked the page closed.

Naoto snapped the laptop shut none too gently and tossed it on her bed into the gap between the pillow and the wall.

She dropped heavily onto the mattress, lying stretched out on her bed.

A sigh left her as she pressed her palms over her eyes, blocking out the dim ambient glow of her lamp, and with it the world around her.

* * *

><p>For several minutes all she heard was the howl of the wind outside rattling hard against her window, muffled by the thick curtains she had drawn to keep in the heat.<p>

How long she'd been lying there, on the verge of sleep, she did not know, but in a split instance she was scrambling up with her eyes glued to the face of her watch.

The familiar beep of the meeting watches sounded in her ear so unexpectedly she had thought it was a figment of her imagination in her half-lucid drowsing state.

She strained to read the display through bleary eyes and dim light.

As her eyes adjusted she confirmed that it was no illusion.

Naoto sprang from her bed, upsetting the rest of the contents tangled within her unmade blanket, and dashed for the front door, careful not to trip over her scattered belongings in her haste.

As the sound of knuckle striking hard wood rang through her front door Naoto pulled it open, almost knocked off balance by the sudden gust that tore through behind it.

Standing outside, framed by the biting frost, was Souji, knuckles poised to deliver a second knock.

"Naoto..." He murmured, his voice whipped away and carried off into the wind. His eyes were cast down and his expression was hidden by the scarf and hood.

Naoto's hand flew out, gripping the end of his scarf and pulling him in with a jerk. She pushed her shoulder into the door, forcing it shut against the howling wind.

After a click, all became still and silent.

Naoto turned around, her back pressed against the door, cheeks raw from brief exposure to the biting wind. Around her feet were scattered lumps of ice, melting, adding chaos to the already disordered living room.

Turning her attention upwards, Naoto searched for her lover's eyes, the rim of his thick hood obscuring his features.

Her pulse quickened.

His eyes were not meeting hers.

Souji began to unwind the scarf from around his mouth, revealing his lips which were pressed together in a thin line. Lumps of ice fell from the little pockets made by the fabric.

"...Change out of your wet clothes. I'll find you something warm." Naoto strode briskly away, heading back to her bedroom.

As she paused in front of the closet, she took a moment to compose herself, taking a deep breath, mind working through the implications of his visit.

His body language and his lack of eye contact...

Her brows drew together.

"You have nothing that would fit me." Souji's voice sounded from the door, making her jump. She quickly turned to the door as she realised he was standing just beyond it, outside of her room.

He usually barged right in...

"You're right." She stepped over towards the bed, taking the remote for the climate control and clicking it up seven degrees, then strode towards the door.

She stood face to face with Souji, hood now pulled back but eyes cast down.

Naoto slowly reached forward and pulled his soaked scarf from his neck. "Take off your jacket anyway." She held out her hand. Souji obediently unzipped and handed her the sodden garment.

There was still no eye contact.

She slipped into the bathroom to hang the items around her radiator, shoving her school uniform off the rack in the process.

She had hung those to dry just the day before. Rise had decided it was a good idea to ambush her as she trudged home, burying her in a hail of snowballs, every one of them seeming to find their mark.

Somehow, that memory felt like an age ago.

She draped the sodden jacket on the rack and the scarf beside it.

Chewing her lip, she glanced nervously over her shoulder, half expecting him to be standing there.

But the doorway stood bare. He had not even entered her room.

Naoto paced up to the open frame, stopping at the threshold, still hidden from view from her bedroom door.

She leant her shoulder against the wall, unsure as how to broach this topic.

"What's wrong?" Naoto finally spoke, voice steady and clear, masking the dread within her heart.

A pause followed, silence stretching out between them, and the only sound Naoto could hear was the heavy beating of her own heart.

In a faint voice, Souji's reply pierced the silence. "...Everything."

A tremor darted through her breath as she exhaled. "What do you mean?"

His next words struck a chill into her heart. "I'm sorry..."

"Are you saying you...?" The words stuck in Naoto's throat, she took a breath and asked. All she could choke out was, "...Tokyo University?"

"I can't go." He answered, sorrow colouring his voice.

"You didn't make it?" Naoto shook her head. How could that be? She mentally asked herself. He couldn't have missed the cut.

...No... Not just that...

Results were only received today.

_If he was travelling to Inaba to tell me... There was no way..._

"It didn't matter if I made it or not." Frustration tinged his words. Naoto slowly edged around the door frame, glancing at Souji who was slumped against the wall and sitting opposite.

"It matters. Why wouldn't it matter?" Naoto muttered under her breath, withdrawing back to her side.

He went silent for a moment, before he answered in a surrendered tone, "...Because...from next year on, I won't be in Japan anymore."

His words crashed upon her. "I-I don't understand! What do you mean?"

_He's leaving Japan? _

_Why didn't he say something? _

_Why did I only find out now? _

_...He knew!_

_There was no way a decision like this could come about spontaneously! _

_Why didn't he say anything?_

"I-My family..." His muttering was almost inaudible. Naoto quietened the turmoil in her mind to strain her ears for his words. "My father was offered a position in America..."

Naoto knew Souji's parents had travelled a lot for their work. He had told her, but he never spoke of the details.

"How is this different from before?" she demanded.

"...I asked them the same thing..." He fell silent again; there was a long pause before he answered. "...It's a permanent position."

Naoto's eyes widened with realisation.

Souji had gone through much relocation during his teenage years and most of his childhood. That was much of the reason he became such an orderly and self-reliant man. However, this was not going to be just a temporary relocation. Souji was leaving, and for good.

"You're moving...to America?"

"My parents want me with them." Souji heaved a sigh mired in frustration before suddenly snapping. "I asked them! I tried!" he exclaimed, a little more forcefully then he intended. "But the fact remains that I can't survive here by myself without their financial support!"

"Scholarship?"

"I tried! Don't you think that would be the first thing I did? But by the time I found out we were moving all the scholarship applications had already closed!" He stilled, calming himself before continuing. "I tried everything. Chased up every lead. I even petitioned the Kirijo group to grant me a Scholarship through contract." Souji paused again, his vexation so severe it even seeped through the silence. "...They deferred to my father's wishes." His voice dropped off once more. "They are offering me a scholarship, but for an American university." Quietly he murmured what seemed to be the hardest thing he had to say. "The course will be for four years... I can't ask you to wait that long..."

Naoto's heart thudded in her ears.

"Then live with me." She said without giving it a second's thought. "Take the university offer and live with me! My family owns properties within the city. You can-!"

"No!" Souji growled, startling Naoto into silence. "I can't..." his voice dropped off. Hesitantly, in a small voice, Naoto asked him why.

"...I will not live as a deadbeat." He ground his teeth together at the last word. It was almost as though he was spitting it out.

A silence fell in the wake of his words. The implications weighed down between them.

"...Why?" Naoto murmured. "Why do I only hear of this now? Why did you keep this to yourself?"

"...I couldn't..." His words hitched under his breath.

"And now I'm supposed to accept it like that?" Naoto was on the verge of tears, furious at being left in the dark. Furious at his damned pride.

After a few seconds her reeling mind pushed past her anger.

A chilling thought formed; a thought she had kept suppressed all this time.

He had intended to do this.

She had known since the beginning that she was not the ideal image of beauty.

She had known that she did not match up in any way to his previous girlfriend.

It was logical to deduce...that this was just a phase...

...Experimentation...

Why else would he keep that to himself?

To not divulge the knowledge that he was, with a high degree of certainty, going to leave the country?

He had known for months, and he only told her only at the last possible moment, making it impossible for her to intervene.

He was bored with her...and now he was moving on.

America...was a convenience.

She gritted her teeth and tried to take in a calming breath.

"...I understand."

She pulled herself upright and stepped towards the radiator, removing Souji's scarf and jacket from the rack. "Then go..."

She held them tight in her grip as she made to turn, but suddenly stiffened with shock as arms coiled around her. She felt herself pulled backwards against a familiar chest.

"I'm sorry." He just barely managed to utter in her ear, his voice trying not to crack.

She felt moisture where his cheek touched hers.

"I'm so sorry..." He pulled her tight pressing her against him.

She could feel the quiver upon his breath, the shudder within his chest.

"... Please find someone that can make you happy." He continued despite his quaking tone. "In the end I could only keep one of our promises... I won't be selfish anymore. I won't tie you down."

He held her tighter, and in a breath so faint it could be a passing breeze, he whispered,

"I love you."

With that, Souji released her and took his jacket from her loosened grip.

Naoto stood numbly, unturned, as the man she loved walked out of her life.

The sound of the blizzard shrieked aloud once more, then abruptly ceased upon the click of deadbolt lock.

Slowly, Naoto raised her hand to wipe the tears he left on her cheek, her own tears mingling with his as her fingers gently brushed them away.

The last memory she had of him was of his anguish, one so strong she could still feel it holding her tightly long after he'd left.

She'd never even turned to look at him.

The one thing she would always regret was the crippling doubt that had forced her hand to slip the ebony pen into his jacket pocket, discarding the memory he had left her.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Happy Dragon day everyone! (Today is the release of Skyrim)<strong>_

A/N: The line in this chap "Everyone is the maker of their own destiny" is a shout out to my old High school. "_Faber est suae quisque fortunae_" Though ironically, the literal translation of our motto was actually "Every man is the maker of their own fortune"...

This was the last of the Fortune chapters! It's now future(present day) all the way!

Cultural trivia: In Japanese culture (as with most Asian cultures) the number 4 is unlucky. This is because its pronunciation sounds like death (shi).

And misfortune indeed strikes four years on from this chapter.

Kharta has created a very artsy title page for this fanfic. Check it out. Link is on the top of my profile page.

He had gone one step further and made a manga omake of chapter 2. Check it out! Link in my profile.

A thank you to my Beta reader and video game reviewer Jahan. If anyone is into video games take a look at his reviews on the PALGN site. Needless to say he did the Persona 4 review. Find the link to the persona 4 review on my profile page.

Another thank you to my second Beta reader Bukala who not only has edited my fanfic for a smoother read but has graciously agreed to use his time to tutor me on how to fine-tune my writing skills. Not every fanfic writer gets such an opportunity to learn.

Disclaimer: I do not own Persona. If I did Naoto would have never dated a two(to ten)-timing Souji. She'd be too detective-smart!

Next update on the 25th of November:

Hierophant: The Shards Connected

_Seek the truth beyond your eyes,_

_Words of fools belies the wise._


	15. Hierophant: The Shards Connected

Fate or Fortune

Hierophant: The Shards Connected

_Seek the truth beyond your eyes,_

_Words of fools belies the wise._

**Wednesday, March 22****nd**** 2017 **

**San Diego; USA**

Stunned, Naoto turned the ebony pen around in her hands, her eyes scanning down its sleek surface and taking note of the brass trimmings ornamenting it. The light gleamed off the surface, throwing the inscriptions in stark relief.

"Naoto Shirogane"

Her name glared up at her from the brass ring banded around the midsection of the pen.

There was no doubt about it. It was her pen. The very same one she saw when she searched Souji's room, not even twelve hours prior.

Why was it here?

For it to be here it must mean Souji went out of his way to retrieve it and ferry it all the way to her.

But for what purpose?

The television droned on in the background, its noise muffled against her ears and dismissed within the sea of thoughts churning about in her head.

As her eyes scanned along the length of the pen, her fingers instinctively flew to the groves upon the clip. Inspiration struck her. Her left hand grasped the lower half of the pen firmly as she pinched down upon the clip and twisted. The clip sprang loose with a click. She tugged the shell loose gently, feeling a resistance as she did so. Her heart leapt into her throat as her hunch was proven right.

She slid the blade out slowly, pressing the flat against the side as she did so to painstakingly drag out its content. The edge of the parchment slowly appeared, the rest of the content stuck irritatingly firm within the restrictive mould of the cap. As the tip peaked around the edge Naoto used her nails to pinch onto it and drag it the rest of the way out.

The scroll rested on the palm of her hand with its edges curled inwards. She noted it had a strange texture. It was stiffer than paper, softer than cardboard, yet strangely springy. This parchment had been folded twice, each fold eclipsing the other down the centre to make a miniaturised version of its original self, then rolled tightly around the blade of the letter opener.

Naoto steadily smoothed out the scroll. The parchment bent into shape instead of crinkling. Her eyes immediately caught words scrawled in slanting handwriting down the corner on the front.

_Find Doctor Barton's car. You shall see._

Naoto paused, turning this sentence around in her mind. Doctor Barton? As in, the first victim? Of course. Who else could he mean? But why _his_ car?

_Go make yourself useful and do something you might accomplish, like finding stolen cars or something else more your speed!_

Naoto's eyes widened as she remembered Souji's words from the day before. Finding stolen cars. Was this what it was? A stolen car? A stolen car with a clue?

She smacked her forehead. Of course! She had been so hung up on how much she thought he had changed... than to follow her instinct and realise those words were completely out of context. She shook her head with a sigh. She should never have made such a rudimentary mistake.

Naoto became so thoroughly irritated with herself she bit her lip hard enough to draw blood. She turned the parchment, and then unfolded it in a bid to find clues. As she unfolded it a second time she froze, her eyes widening.

His eyes stared back at her, the eyes of a seventeen year old that stood behind her sixteen year old self. They were surrounded by their Inaba friends. He had kept it.

He kept the Inaba photo?

As she stared down at it, the fold damage down the centre became glaringly obvious, crisscrossing at the point where his heart would have been, a vertical line splicing down between him and Chie, the horizontal one dividing him and Naoto. She ran her thumb along that crease, trying to smoothen it out in vain. The white crevasse kept glaring back at her starkly. Fold damaged...but not torn.

A knock rang loudly from the door causing Naoto to jump, the photo fluttering out of her grasp as she started.

"Room Service." A voice called from the door, pre-emptively answering Naoto's question.

Bristling slightly with irritation, she strode over to the door. She received her meal on a roller table, identical to the one from the day before, and tipped the attendant the appropriate amount before shooing him out of her room as quickly as possible.

As the door lock clicked she dropped herself heavily onto the edge of her bed, the pen rolling down the dip she formed.

She gripped the photograph tightly in her hand, staring down at the familiar picture. It was long since but a pleasant memory from a distant past.

She closed her eyes to think long and hard.

Eventually she reached a decision.

She flipped to an empty page in her note book and quickly scribbled in her large blocky letters.

_Meet me here at nine. _

And with that she tore the page out and shoved it into the pen. Nine should give her plenty of time to return and prepare.

She carefully replaced the cap back on the blade and strode over to the television, brushing her fingertips against it, watching the ripples cascade across the screen. With a sharp intake of breath she put her hand through and watched her fist, along with the pen in its grasp, sink into the screen in a bubbling ripple. Before she could have second thoughts, she released her grip and let it drop to the other side. She heard a muffled clatter, and then an eerie calm ensued. The only sound came from the news anchorman chattering on inconsequentially in front of her. She took a deep breath, mind in turmoil over what she had just committed herself to.

Through her storm of thoughts, the television finally cut through, the words "serial killings" catching her attention. She looked up, realising the news she had been anticipating was finally on. As she dropped herself back on the bed she stared hard at the TV with a frown on her face. It sat strangely isolated upon its shelf. It felt like there was something missing... The state of her mind made it difficult to focus, and for the moment she couldn't bring herself to care.

With a huff she glanced sideways, finally acknowledging the forlorn roller table parked in the middle of the room. She grimaced, pulling it over before resigning herself to shovelling down the dry chicken. Eating as she watched the report only grew harder due to the knot in her stomach that was draining away her appetite.

* * *

><p>"Whoa. You look like crap!" Nathan greeted the pale Naoto as she dragged herself into the passenger seat of her car. "What's up? Stay up looking for ghosts in the TV?"<p>

Naoto gave a start at first, but slowly the actual meaning of his words sunk in.

He was talking about Sadako, not Souji.

"No. The case kept me up."

This was true, in its own way. True as in Souji's cryptic clues and the thought of meeting him again which had been rattling around in her mind was one part of the reason for keeping her up. The other part was her paranoia. She simply could not rest easy while knowing the television was indeed being used as a portal to travel in and out of her room, connected to god knows how many other similar devices.

She ended up going to bed still bound in her chest wraps. The pressure on her respiratory system only served to add to her discomfort. It was just as the first glow of dawn peeked over the skyline that Naoto finally been able to drift off into a fitful sleep, only to be awakened by her room service alarm barely two hours later.

Despite how she used to function when she was younger, she had long since learned a good night's sleep was imperative to her mental agility. It was a lesson she had learned during her stay in Inaba. Back then she was so desperate to prove herself she'd work on the case all night and sleep through class all day. Upon reflection she knew she hadn't managed her time very well. No matter the special considerations she might have been eligible for; even she couldn't exempt herself from detention. This was one of the reasons why Souji had always found her in front of the faculty office.

"Do you need to go see a doctor?" Nathan asked with a wincing grimace.

The exhausted detective shook her head. "No. I'm fine. Just drive."

"...Then let's at least pick up a coffee on the way."

Naoto agreed with a thankful smile. She rubbed her sore eyes; her head felt like it was stuffed with rags. It was going to be a long day.

A long and exhausting day.

One with a night that wasn't going to promise her any relief.

* * *

><p>Coffee in hand, the now slightly refreshed Naoto marched up to the archives officer. Nathan slunk behind her, unsure of what she had in mind.<p>

The middle aged man behind the desk glanced up, unsure as to what to make of the tiny figure standing just above the line of the shelving elevated around the edges of the desk.

"Good day." The detective tipped her hat in greeting. "I am Detective Shirogane. I would like to make an enquiry."

"Oh?" The man appraised her, or as much as he could see of her. "And what would you like to know?"

"I want to know if a car was found registered to the first victim Raymond Barton. The number plate is-"

"Yeah I know which one you're talking about." The officer interrupted. "It's down in the evidence lot."

Naoto's brows pinched together. "May I ask as to when it was discovered?"

"...Um... Right after they found the body?" He answered with a shrug. "It wasn't hard. It was where he had left it, in his spot in the University parking lot."

The cogs in her head began to turn as she gave him concise thanks. Did this mean it wasn't the car Souji was talking about? Maybe that's not what he had meant at all. Maybe she was over reading things and her initial assumption had been correct.

"If possible I would like to have a look at it."

The archives officer gave her a perplexed glance. "I don't see why you'd want to. The forensics team was already down there days ago and they didn't find anything with any of their fancy equipment."

Naoto nodded. "Regardless. I would like to."

* * *

><p>As Naoto stepped out into the underground holding lot, she was hit with a sense of light-headed confusion as she was greeted by the sight of dozens of cars parked in neat rows along the sides of the room.<p>

She was looking for a car in the position '8B'. She scanned up and down the aisles, unsure as to how to begin her search. Her usually sharp mind was deeply mired in fatigue and it took her a few moments to rein it under control.

"So which car is it?" Nathan asked, glancing around with her.

Naoto walked forward briskly, counting to eight under her breath, and stopped before a column of cars, glancing at each in turn.

"Oh! This one's 8B!" Nathan hollered as he spotted the white letters painted onto the cement in the centre of the parking lines, well underneath the vehicle. He gave the car a quick once over before declaring. "Phew! What a wreck!"

Naoto strode to Nathan, crossing her arms as she appraised the car in question. It was old. She could tell with one glance. Literally the only things that looked somewhat new were the tires, and even they were edging towards infringing on road safety regulations. It was a medium sized white car, no luster in its dull paintjob. It appeared to have had multiple repairs done to the chassis. The windscreen and driver's side window had obviously been replaced. These windows were clear, as opposed to the tinted ones on the rest of the side windows and rear, the dark film already peeling in some places. The hue of the glass beneath shone of a different quality.

The front of the car had looked like it had once sustained a minor impact of some description. The chassis sustained some minor damages, dents still visible on the bonnet. The front bumper was obviously replaced, being made of metal several degrees glossier than the rusted Suzuki logo fixed upon the worn grill, licence plate gleaming just as boldly...

Wait a minute.

Naoto's eyes widened with shock.

She recognised the car, but unsure as to how it could be possible.

She concentrated, slowly working through the lethargic haze, her mind clicking the pieces together and realising exactly what Souji had meant.

_You shall see._

She knew exactly what she was looking at.

"Get the forensics team down here." She finally spoke, Nathan perking up with a questioning look. "This car has been involved in a hit-and-run."

Nathan pursed his lips in surprise, then grinned, thoroughly impressed. "Damn! You can tell that much with one glance?"

"Please just go and get them..."

* * *

><p>Two forensics personnel arrived within half an hour, surprised that they were to be called upon to re-examine a vehicle they had previously appraised. They descended into the lot, garbed up in dark blue jumpsuit smocks, the younger of the two carrying the kit.<p>

The senior greeted the detective, hand out to shake. "I am David Heinemann. You must be Detective Shiro?"

Naoto nodded, gripping his hand in a firm shake, finding that her own tinier hand disappeared into the wide palm of the older man. His face already had a mass of wrinkles and some skin sag accentuating his already prominent cheekbones.

The man, strangely, wore a pair of what appeared to be cheap sunglasses perched atop his sandy blond hair, despite the day being overcast and the fact they were in an underground car park. With a smile he asked. "What can I do for you today?"

"He says the car killed someone!" Nathan answered eagerly, practically bubbling with excitement as the lady set her equipment down in front of the car in question.

"What do you mean?" The younger forensics officer demanded. She was a young Asian woman looking no more than five years older than Naoto. Just one glance one could tell this person was a new-arrival to the profession, her inexperience made obvious by the way she had dogged her senior and hung onto his every word. For some inexplicit reason she also sat a pair of sunglasses atop her head. "Car accident damage is very easily picked up. There was no way I could have missed that. In fact, there is no evidence on this car at all to suggest it had been involved in any recent accidents."

Naoto dipped her head in acknowledgement. "You're right. Ms...?"

"Call me Nora." The lady answered, giving her a confused glance as she wondered why the hell they were called down there in the first place.

The senior looked slightly sceptical but there was a light of understanding in his eyes. "It's not a recent accident you're after, is it Detective?"

"That is correct." Naoto nodded.

"...Well it's obviously been in an accident before..." Nora ran a hand through her hair. "Just to be clear, what time range are we working in?"

Naoto paused for a moment to calculate, taking slightly longer than she should have before replying, "Seven years."

"Seven years?" Nora blanched, stumped as to where to begin. "And what was it you were hoping we'd find?"

"Blood."

"...After seven years?"

"It is possible." David answered calmly. "Blood residue can pool and then be trapped, and if sheltered from the elements then its residue may still remain."

"...Yes, but still, what can we do with seven year old blood?" Nora questioned as her senior slipped on his latex gloves. "Wouldn't the DNA be degraded past any chance of positive ID?"

"Most likely, yes. But there are some conditions where it may be preserved. As Shakespeare once said," he told her as he tipped the pair of sunglasses across his eyes, "Blood never comes off."

"I don't really think that's how the quote went." Nora remarked. "And Caruso liners don't work in smocks."

Nathan punched his fist into his palm with the delighted grin. "David Caruso?"

"No. David Heinemann." The senior beamed, eyes still shaded by his intense glasses. "But I'm glad you liked my impression."

Naoto cleared her throat, catching everyone's attention. "I shall assume you have things under control."

"Leave it to us!" Nora tipped her sunglasses over her eyes to match that of her senior's. "If there is blood, then we are sharks." And with that she turned and hi-fived her senior. It was very baffling to Naoto.

As the young detective turned to leave David pointed to the front grill, and quizzed his junior. "Ok so first step. Where is the most likely place to find residues?"

Nora paused to contemplate his question. "Hmm... beneath the bumper?"

"Ordinarily yes. But you have to realise that since it has been replaced we're unlikely to find any under the bumper. Instead you search in the grooves on the car sheltered by the bumper." David lectured easily, satisfied his protégé was learning. "However, the first place I'd suggest we look is the logo since it seems to have not been replaced. We can pull the metal apart; between the pieces would most likely be the best place for blood to be trapped."

"Gotcha." Nora nodded in understanding. Snapping open the forensics kit she pulled out the luminal spray, taking the sunnies off and groping around in the bag as she did so. She suddenly froze, a look of horror on her face.

The last thing Naoto heard from the pair as she headed up the stairs was Nora exclaiming "Ah crap! I didn't bring the torch!" and David responding "Damn it, Newbie!"

* * *

><p>Naoto sat at the desk, awaiting further results. Within minutes she was informed the luminal spray had come up positive for blood in between the pieces of the Suzuki logo, as well as in the deep grooves on the car beneath the bumper.<p>

Once they had managed to pry the logo off the grill, they were able to take the border apart, finding access to a deposit of an extremely small and workable amount of the invisible dry substance. They were up in the lab at the moment, treating what they found with DNA Polymerase to replicate the sample. Once they were able to multiply it into a larger stock they would have to run an analysis to separate a usable sample from the overly-degraded remainder. In other words, it was unlikely Naoto would expect results any time soon, if at all.

Naoto slumped in her chair, exhaustion etched into every fibre of her being. She had spent about an hour trying to chase up the car's registration but to no avail. Even the insurance company couldn't give positive information about where it was manufactured or purchased. All the information they received from the dealer was fake. They seemed utterly horrified at how they could have made such a grave oversight. The only information of any use she obtained from them was that the car had only been insured with them for around a year and that the repairs had not been done under their insurance. The number plate too was placed under scrutiny, with a series that was very often displayed on the bumpers of cars she had seen since arriving here, the frequency of which suggested it belonged to this state. Although, this number plate was not registered with any manufacturer, which meant it was most likely a fake. It had possibly been changed out at the same time the repairs to the fenders had taken place.

All signs pointed to a car that had once been stolen.

Naoto slipped out the photograph, unfolding it slowly. Her eyes slid up the image to rest upon the familiar face of the young man she had once known so well.

No. It seemed she had never known him all that well.

What was he trying to tell her?

A mug clacked down before her, causing her to jump. "You look like you could use a top up." Nathan said as he turned the mug so the handle faced her. As he did, he discreetly leant over her shoulder.

Naoto quickly stowed the photo away, tucking it into the gun harness she wore strapped to the left side of her jacket. Nathan glanced at her curiously; he hadn't gotten a good look at what she was holding but was taken aback by her startled reaction.

Naoto, now perfectly calm, reached for her mug and took a sip. She felt drained; not even the strong coffee was able to fully ward off the fatigue, its qualities re-energising her fading through diminishing returns. She slumped slightly in the chair and glanced upwards. Her eyebrows raised in question.

Nathan sipped his coffee at ease, its rising steam fogging up the pair of sunglasses he, for some unfathomable reason, was now wearing. He saw her questioning look and pointed to them with his free hand. Then, with a childish grin, he lifted them from his eyes. "The forensics guys gave these to me. Isn't it cool? It's a Caruso replica!"

"Who?"

"You know. Horatio Caine. CSI Miami."

Naoto sat in silent confusion.

Nathan gave a long dramatic gasp, clutching his chest in horror. "Dear lord, thou art in heaven! Don't you guys get CSI in Japan? It was only _the _most popular crime series of the new millennium! How did you decide you wanted to fight crime in the first place?"

Naoto frowned. "I didn't need a television show to tell me what I wanted to do."

"Oh right. I forgot I was speaking to Detective Conan!" He exclaimed with a bark of laughter.

"Don't call me that." Naoto growled. Sleep deprivation had her slightly more irritable than she would have been otherwise.

"Here, put these on!" He slipped the sunglasses over Naoto's eyes, then burst out in a fit laughter at her unamused scowl. "Nothing... Like... Conan." He choked between peals of giggles, uncaring to how much disrupting he was causing the rest of his workplace.

Naoto swatted the glasses away, hearing it strike the wood of the table and rattle like cheap plastic, her irritation worn plainly on her face.

As Nathan hiccupped into silence, a dopey grin still plastered on his face, he waved his hands about. "Alright, I'm sorry. No need to glare. How 'bout I take you out to dinner tonight as an apology?" He couldn't keep the hopefulness out of his voice as he watched the small detective eagerly.

"That won't be necessary, Detective Evans." Naoto rubbed her eyes tiredly.

"Ok, not as an apology, but I would still like it if you joined me for dinner."

"No, thank you." She said with a tone of finality. "I would like to be able to actually get some sleep tonight."

An awkward pause stretched out between them. Nathan's chestnut eyebrows dancing around his fringe line with a ridiculous grin still stuck on his face. It took a few moments before Naoto realised the implications of her words.

"I meant- I need to get work done! So I can sleep early!"

Nathan once again collapsed into laughter, fuelled by Naoto's horrified expression.

"I knew it!" Nathan exclaimed, still chuckling. "See where your mind went! You're nowhere as innocent as you pretend to be! I'm onto you!"

"I-! No that's not-!" Naoto stuttered, burning a crimson blush.

"I get it, I get it." Nathan relented, breathing deep to alleviate his laughter-induced windedness. "No dinner. How about lunch?"

Naoto sat quietly for a few moments calming the redness from her face, before finally answering. "Alright then, but..." She looked almost embarrassed. "I don't feel like western food."

"Ah, I get yah." Nathan nodded with understanding. "I know this great little Japanese place around here-"

"Not Japanese." She suppressed a thin rueful smile, hand subconsciously drifting along her gun harness. "I was wondering if you know a place for Chinese take-away."

* * *

><p>AN: Kharta has created a very artsy title page for this fanfic. Check it out. Link is on the top of my profile page.

A thank you to my Beta reader and video game reviewer Jahan. If anyone is into video games take a look at his reviews on the PALGN site. Needless to say he did the Persona 4 review. Find the link to the persona 4 review on my profile page.

Another thank you to my second Beta reader Bukala who not only has edited my fanfic for a smoother read but has graciously agreed to use his time to tutor me on how to fine-tune my writing skills. Not every fanfic writer gets such an opportunity to learn.

Cultural trivia: In Japan the steering wheel is on the right side of the car, exactly opposite of that of America. But this format is not unique to Japan. Right side steering wheels are also observed in England and Australia as well as most island nations (and island nation colonised countries). The left side-steering wheel is only adopted by land-bound countries such as those in the Americas, Asia, Europe and Africa (and islands colonised by land-bound countries).

Dry chicken?: In this chapter I've proposed the idea that Naoto isn't fond of Western food. The fact is most Asians aren't. An example is with chicken breast. Westerners prefer the breast portion of the chicken while most Asians prefer the wings and thighs. As a result an Asian tasting the breast portion of a chicken would find it exceedingly dry compared to what they're used to.

Criminology fact: A serial killer is a person who kills three or more people. By this definition the killings in Inaba is not a serial murder case at all. However, who really expects the media to get facts right?

Disclaimer: I do not own Persona. If I did Teddie woulda punk'd Naoto with them goofy glasses.

Next update on the 9th of December:

Strength: The City of Ghosts

_Time strikes true to meet the past,_

_Constraint of sentiment do not last._


	16. Strength: The City of Ghosts

Fate or Fortune

Strength: The City of Ghosts

_Time strikes true to meet the past,_

_Constraint of sentiment do not last._

**Wednesday, March 22****nd**** 2017 **

**San Diego; USA**

With the curtains drawn tight and TV off, the room was deathly quiet on the procession to deep evening. No flicker of motion disturbed the stillness. The only sound was the drawn, even breathing of the young detective seated in the chair. Naoto had dragged the balcony chair indoors earlier, positioning herself in the corner so that she had the perfect vantage of the entire room. She knew Souji had got her message, and that he had come in at least once while she had been out for the day. When she'd returned, she was greeted by the very note that held her message, now sporting his slanted handwriting as well.

_I'll be there._

Since then Naoto had spent the entire afternoon tensely waiting for midnight, all thoughts of fatigue chased from her mind. Showering only briefly, she dressed back into her day-wear, strapping her gun holster into the inside of her jacket as she did so. Without turning on the TV, she proceeded to perch on the chair in the corner, not even bothering to remove her shoes. She sat silently revising the notes she had taken from the evidence files earlier that day as nerves nipped at the edge of her mind.

The notes were not enough to pass the time completely; there was not much evidence to be found. Apart from a listing of the personal effects found upon their persons and details of the environment where they were found, there was not much else in there that wasn't already mentioned in the victim profiles. She ended up stowing the notes away and simply perched in the chair anxiously, staring at the TV.

Before nine fully approached, Naoto's watch gave an alarm, the sound piercing through the dimly lit room and signalling its twin was near. As if in answer to the call, a ripple appeared on the television as a shadow passed by within the shifting screen.

Slowly, a figure emerged, its hands reaching out from within, gripping the edges of the television, and dragging himself out, suspending his weight from within the frame in a way that defied physics.

After he landed upon the carpeted floor, he straightened up and cast his eyes about the room with a look of apprehension on his face. His expression slowly melted into confusion when he realised his appearance was not acknowledged. His eyes drew to the young detective who was slumped in the chair with her cap knocked askew. His brows contracted with worry as he strode briskly towards her. Her name was on the tip of his tongue. Alarm built within his mind. Suddenly, just as he was near her, he gave a suppressed chuckle. The vigilant detective had fallen asleep.

His hand darted out instinctively, pushing past the cap and brushing against the familiar tassels of her hair before pausing as she stirred from the light touch. Her eyes cracked open slowly, her vision glazed with sleep. The moment of dazed confusion passed as she leapt backwards from her chair, bumping violently into her bedside cabinet.

"Good evening, Naoto." Souji greeted. He couldn't keep the amusement from seeping onto his face.

Naoto burned crimson with embarrassment, irritated she had allowed herself to drift off when she had set every procedure in place to appear professional and dignified upon their meeting; the first meeting in many years.

"Good evening..." She began uncertainly, before adding in a stronger voice, "...Seta-san."

His brows rose momentarily as his smile suddenly grew strained. Naoto looked away, straightening her cap and brushing the fringe Souji had just swept his fingers through. It was just like how he had always done.

Naoto snapped herself out of her thoughts. In a professional stride, she wrenched her eyes back up to meet Souji's, tilting her head upwards as she did so. As they met, his pale eyes fluttered, then slowly drifted away. She had forgotten how tall he was. He had always been around a good thirty centimetres taller her, though now it felt like a lot more. He might have grown since she last saw him, or it might've been her nerves. His silvery white hair hung loose around his neck, longer than how she last remembered, but shorter than in the photo on his police profile.

Her eyes drifted down his frame, taking note that his appearance and health seemed rather well kept for living so long under the radar. But then again, the properties of the TV world allowed for the preservation of an individual in the last state they entered. It was the reason she was able to survive so long back when she had been trapped within all those years ago, a situation that had arose due to her own volition.

His clothes too seemed to be in good condition, his white sports jacket bleached spotless, dark jeans barely creased...

Hold on a second, she quickly thought.

"You have returned home since your disappearance." Naoto voiced her realisation aloud. Souji glanced at her, then slowly followed her line of sight to realise what she was staring at.

He pulled the collar to perk it up neatly against his neck. "Ah, right. I changed my jacket." A smile tugged at the corner of his lip. "Then this must mean you've seen my interview footage."

Naoto nodded grimly in acknowledgement. He was sharp, just as she'd remembered.

Souji contemplated silently for a moment before confessing. "I'll admit, I have returned home several times, but not once did I meet my parents. They were not lying about not seeing me."

Naoto motioned for him to explain. He easily obliged.

"At first I only returned home when my parents were out at work. Then afterwards only late at night, as my mother had begun to stay home."

Naoto thought back to the day before, when she had met the mother. She claimed she was waiting at home in case her son returned. Had she suspected he was returning when they were away?

"Why did you return?"

"...To grab a bite to eat...a shower and a change of clothes?" He grimaced bemusedly.

Naoto crossed her arms, not sharing in his amusement. "I still remember much of that world. The body does not change within. One can survive unconditionally without water or nutrients."

"Yes, true," Souji said with a nod, "but fatigue still accumulates."

"You mean to tell me you were overly fatigued in barely a week?"

"No. I was just suggesting it in hopes you would infer it." He paused before continuing a little sheepishly, "It beats having to admit I only returned home so I can freshen up and continue looking sharp."

Naoto stood still in thought, unsure if she should take his words seriously. The look on his face did not reflect one who was jesting.

A thick silence stretched between them as Naoto organised her thoughts, her hand glued to her hip as she looked away. Souji sat lightly upon the edge of her bed and watched her intently. As she glanced back at him she noticed a gleam in his eyes she never remembered from before. He was watching her too closely. It almost felt as if she was the one being interrogated.

"Alright. Then let's not waste any more time." Naoto turned her chair around to face him, perching herself tensely on the edge. "Please explain your involvement in all this."

"...You ought to know my involvement." He answered, eyes narrowing as he spoke. "...Or at least suspect."

Naoto gave no ground. "Regardless, I wish to hear it from you."

After a moment's hesitation, without a sound of dissent, Souji pulled himself upright. He sat a good head taller Naoto with no discernable expression on his face. "...After Inaba...I would have thought you'd give me more credit."

Naoto glanced away, suddenly uncomfortable. She knew Souji had meant what he had done back during the midnight channel incident, but...

After Inaba, she didn't want to think about him at all.

She sat in silence, not meeting his eyes. Her mind was in turmoil.

Just then Souji pulled himself to his feet, causing Naoto to start and scramble up as well.

He reached for the remote and clicking on the TV. The jingle of a commercial filled the room.

"Come." He beckoned as he stepped towards the television, now live with images and sounds. "See for yourself."

He reached out and touched the screen. His hand disappeared into it. He turned once more, his eyes meeting Naoto's. Without another word, he stepped through, disappearing swiftly with practiced ease.

Naoto stood silently as she watched the ripples rapidly vanish. The surface appeared smooth and solid once more. Her eyes steadily drifted down to her left wrist.

It didn't feel real. That he had stood before her just moments ago, then disappeared without a trace, was so much more like a dream than reality.

Yet her watch said otherwise.

He was there, and he was still standing on the other side, waiting for her.

Stepping towards the television, she brushed the surface tentatively, watching the ripples follow in the wake of her touch. After taking a deep breath to steel herself, she moved forward and plunged through.

* * *

><p>Naoto squinted hard, her eyes adjusting slowly to the awkward lighting. It was similar to twilight, when the horizon seemed bright yet the rest of the world was carved deep into shadows. She could see light pouring inside from no apparent source, yet rather than illuminating the room it just made it harder for her to focus.<p>

In front of her were only blank walls and a large gaping opening to the outside world. The ground below her appeared odd in contrast.

With a frown, she swept her hand across the ground.

Carpeting?

She ran her hand along the soft texture, unsure of what to make of it. It was so out of place in contrast to the wacky style of what she remembered of the midnight channel. The world within the TV had always been an abstract reflection of what was within an individual's heart.

Could this be similar to that of Mayumi Yamano's?

Naoto instinctively looked up, searching for the scarf noose, realising the moment her eyes scanned up to the ceiling that the entire room was completely devoid of furnishings.

She pulled herself up slowly as she looked over the room. Realisation began to dawn on her.

This was her hotel room.

The open wall where the shimmering orange light seemed to pour through was where the roller door had been. Except now there was no glass roller door; not even the fixtures were to be found. She could see the balcony beyond it, but the door and the curtains were not there.

She took a step back, her eyes casting about the room and tallying in her mind everything that was missing from the picture. Her bed was not there, nor her bedside tables. No lights. No fixtures.

However, the TV was there.

She stepped back, eyeing the structure with a sense of shock. The television was a mimic of the one in her room, only instead of resting upon a custom shelf; it seemed to be suspended from a black twisted structure growing out of the floor. It was then a show came on the screen. The image was defined clearly but the sound was garbled, as if the audio was being put through a filter. Naoto approached it. She pressed her hand to the screen and watching it sink through.

"The image is inverse."

Naoto jumped back with a start. In her fascination she had almost forgotten the room wasn't completely empty.

Souji leant against the wall, watching from the narrow walkway.

She stepped towards him. So many questions ran through her head she didn't know what to ask first. After a moment she finally found her voice again, asking the most fundamental question she had. "What is this?"

Souji gestured vaguely with a shrug. "It's your room, on the other side of the TV."

Naoto's brows furrowed, not knowing what to make of it.

She turned and strode briskly to the balcony. The sound of the TV faded into silence as she drew away. She peered over the edge, straining her eyes to see through the hazy orange glow that seemed to have no point of origin.

The misty orange light touched the blank tarmac of the road below, uninterrupted by the hollow buildings stretching around it. Naoto could see, from her third story vantage point, the layout of the street. It was an exact replica of the one she had walked upon hours previously, only it was completely empty.

No cars. No signs. No benches. That which existed started where the asphalt of the road stretched out, unmarked by paint, touching the curbs of the undecorated sidewalk.

Naoto scanned the street looking for signs, trees, lamp posts, or even cars. There was nothing. Just long stretches of a hollow street surrounded by buildings with no doors or windows. They resembled honeycombs in a hive.

"Eerie, isn't it?" Souji stepped beside her, leaning against the flat bricks of the balcony ledge.

"... This is nothing like how I remember it." She suppressed a shiver in the oppressive silence.

The TV world that she remembered took the form of an abstract world mirroring that within people's hearts, or the beautiful pristine hills of the world of truth laid bare. This was neither.

Souji watched her closely as her mind spun around this new concept. "The world of truths, and the world of lies. Which do you think this is?"

Naoto peered over to him, then slowly looked back down upon the empty street below.

"...Truth..."

"It isn't pretty, is it?"

Naoto shook her head, her eyes staring down into the barren streets. "I don't understand. Truth... was beautiful."

She recalled the lush grass on the rolling hills. She remembered a babbling stream carving down the field and cascading into a crystal clear lake, casting misty vapours in sprays. That was what she had witnessed. That was the world of truth.

"...This world is a reflection of the heart." Souji grimaced, leaning backwards against the ledge and staring upwards into the bright orange sky. "The only difference is now it's no longer a reflection of our desires, but of our truth."

"Inaba was-"

"It was our hearts. Hope. A town that had lived far from the pace of the cities, a town just liberated from the fears of a serial killer. That was the image of hope, once the shadow of fear was lifted."

Naoto shook her head with a distant gaze. "Teddie had said, once everywhere was like that."

"...I wonder how long ago he meant..." Souji lifted his hand, holding it above his eyes as if to block out the false sun, but no shadows stretched beneath it to give him shade. They stood silently side by side, eyes cast distantly into the empty world around them.

"...Materialistic..." Souji murmured. Naoto turned slightly. It was the only indication she had heard him. He gave her a wry smile and continued. "Such is the handle upon our world." He turned his gaze to the streets below. "For all the value we place on what we have and what we want, we never pause to consider how empty these desires are."

"...This world is a reflection of the human heart." Naoto muttered as she realised what Souji was telling her.

"It's just a theory. I've had about a week to think on it." He gave another slanted smile. "I've been observing this world, watching the shadows."

Naoto frowned. "I don't see any shadows." She glanced over her shoulder back into the room.

"Not in the traditional sense." He shrugged with a hapless grin. "They're hard to see in this light. Look carefully." He pointed to a glassless window in the hollow building opposite. Naoto squinted, shielding her eyes in vain against the omnipresent glare.

There was motion.

Naoto pressed her palms against the balcony ledge, leaning out slightly as she strained her eyes.

She saw it again.

A faint shimmer.

She stretched out further, straining her eyes, trying to see it clearly.

A firm hand suddenly gripped her shoulder and pulled her back.

"Whoa! Don't fall!" Souji sported a skittish look on his face. "I know you're good with heights, but that was a little further than I could take."

Naoto instantly brushed off his hand. "I can't see it clearly." She mumbled. Her eyes then drifted downwards and the silence between them began to grow even stronger.

Souji took a step back and turned to walk. He stepped over the threshold back into the room marked by the paved bricks melding into the carpeting. He glanced back over his shoulder, sporting a meek smile. "...Then let's go down to reception."

* * *

><p>Naoto stepped out of her hollow room and into what looked to be a skeletal replica of the hallway. She quickly noticed that, much like her own, none of the neighbouring rooms had doors.<p>

Apprehensively, the young detective followed Souji down the corridor. She peered into a room only to find a lone television entwined into the floor exactly like her own. She peeked into a neighbouring room and found the same television, only this time it was not alone.

Two wisps floated in midair on the other side of the room from where the television stood. It looked to be similar to a type of shadow she had encountered once before, only these sparkled gold and silver. They were extraordinarily hard to make out in the persistent orange glow that appeared to ignored the laws of both particle and wave theory of light, to the point where it diffused into every nook and cranny.

Naoto took a step inside, staring curiously at the indistinctive shimmering shapes. Immediately she was stopped by Souji, his hand gripping the back of her collar, and pulling her back out. She swatted his hand away and smoothed out the creases he had created.

The young man grinned a little wryly, running his hand through his hair. "That's the shadows I wanted to show you...but not those ones. You'll want to avoid those ones." He nodded his head in the direction of the hollow elevator shaft before briskly strolling away.

Naoto looked back into the room, giving the wisps one last glance. The fact came to her that, since he had significantly more experience about the happenings within this world, she would be wise to heed his warning. She followed quickly after the retreating Souji, jogging a few steps to catch up to his long strides.

As they reached the hollow shaft, she saw three wisps ascending hastily. She poked her head through and stared at the trail of light disappearing upwards. Souji headed for the open stairwell, motioning for Naoto to keep close. Together they followed the patterned turns of the steps, edging towards the wall so as to not fall over the un-railed edge and descended three flights to the ground floor.

Without stopping to warn her, he stepped out into the lobby and she instinctively followed in his wake.

Naoto gasped in shock. Her hand flew to grip the handle of her revolver tucked in her jacket. Souji put his hand on her shoulder to calm her anxiety. She withdrew her hand and took a tentative step back.

It was as though she had broken the surface of water after being thoroughly submerged and had sound break over her in a fresh dose of reality.

All around her were several humanoid shapes, each shimmering like the wisps she saw before. They appeared to be cuing before the elevator shaft. Their chatter was in strange, echoic voices too hard to individually discern. Apparently they were oblivious to the two humanoids of flesh standing amongst them. One by one, these shapes stepped forward into the shaft, clustering together as if within a confined space. Then, in exact unison, they proceeded to ascend.

Naoto stepped forward into the hollow shaft with her head tilted upwards and watched these shining figures rise further and further away until suddenly they dissolved. Her eyes widened with surprise as she found herself standing in silence once more. Where the shimmering humanoids had once floated were the same little shining wisps of light.

She slowly stepped back, her mind reeling at all of this. She looked around and spotted several more wisps in the hollow lobby. Naoto strode towards the one floating isolated near the wall, where the reception desk should have been.

As she approached, it materialised into the shape of a person, positioned as if sitting in an invisible chair. The sound of speaking reverberated once more, only this time, there was only one voice. The words came spontaneously and broken, not seeming to form a proper sentence. A shrill laughter followed before a harsh tone of reprimand silenced it.

Naoto realised what it was. Completely unnerved, she took a slow step back, allowing the shape to drop and become wisp once more. The sound vanished.

"Interesting..." Souji muttered, standing several paces behind her, apparently unmoved by the apparitions around him.

"These shadows..." Naoto muttered, voice pitched low as the oppressive silence pressed around her once more. "Are they...? They are people...on the other side."

"Shadows were always people on the other side." Souji answered with a shrug and a grin as some of his old cheek seeped back into his expression. "They seem to have just become a lot more organised of late."

"But what we're hearing...Are they...thoughts?" Naoto rubbed her temples with shock printed across her face.

"Oh, well done. I was wondering if you would be able to tell." Souji gave a sincere smile. "But what am I saying. I'm speaking to the great Detective Shirogane after all."

Naoto frowned, unsure if she was being mocked. She could tell his words were sincere yet again by the open expression on his face.

"Thoughts..." He continued, taking a step past Naoto into the range of the shimmering orb. Naoto's eyebrows rose a fraction as she realised its shape wasn't changing. "This is the sound of thoughts: erratic and non-linear." The look in his eyes became distant and thoughtful. He took a step back so that he too stood the same distance in radius as Naoto was. "The human mind thinks not in sentences, but with disjointed words, images and memories, all coloured by emotion."

Naoto silently digested this. After a brief moment, she asked, "So what we're hearing is but one component of thought?"

"Exactly. We hear words and the onomatopoeic representation of emotion." He stepped forward once more and he reached out to beckon Naoto to follow. As she stepped forward, the ghostly apparition erupted once more from its compact form, its sounds flooding her ears.

Naoto closed her eyes and strained her ears for all the individual components. Much of what she heard was indiscernible, babbling nonsense. It felt as if the individual was speaking another language, but there weren't enough hard tones to suggest that was the case. It was just unshaped sounds, white noise to fill gaps between thoughts. Occasionally a fully formed word seeped through the cacophony. In this instance it was the word "Friday". Then more noise followed, thereafter several sounds being made with a tone of conviction, almost like they were distorted words mixed in with a handful of vulgarities. They rang the most distinctively from the lot. That was followed by another rumble of laughter, only this time it was low and subdued.

"Hmm... This lady seems to have a date on Friday." Souji mused above the reverberating noise. "She seems quite excited about it too. It must be a first date. And the man must be a fairly good catch."

Naoto frowned at him, silently signalling him to explain.

"... Friday. The day is significant to her. That is why she thought of it so sharply." He stepped back once more, Naoto following suit. "The tone of her chatter is fast paced and sporadic, as if she is suppressing excited or nervous energy." He nodded to the wisp sitting silently once more. "She cursed fairly often. You heard them expressed sharply right? It's interesting isn't it, that curse words come most defined within thoughts. It has the highest affinity with our perceptions due to its attention catching nature, not due to the words themselves, but the significance they hold within society. One could zone out in a conversation, but the moment a curse word is dropped it grips your attention." He caught himself, and then continued sheepishly. "But I digress. I apologise. What I actually mean by that is that these curse words are what she uses to rein in the direction of her thoughts. It's as if she's going 'no, don't think of that, else you'll grin like a fool.' Ordinarily a person does not curse so much in their thoughts...Well, unless those words are part of their colloquial speech, but then that also waters it down into those muffled mutterings."

Naoto frowned again, processing what he'd said. "I take it you spent the past week following people and invading their private reflections?"

"Hmm, yes." He answered with a smile and another shrug. "I couldn't help but think how useful this is for my research project."

"That is highly unethical..." Despite her words, she held no trace of disapproval on her face.

Souji grinned and replied rather slyly, "Yet you're thinking about how to use this to your advantage as we speak."

Eyes widening with surprise, her words choked in her throat as she began to redden. Her eyes darted from him as her logic spoke through. He wasn't reading her mind right now. She was standing on this side beside him. He was inferring her thoughts because she wore it plainly on her face.

But what about when she was on the other side?

"When our watches sounded... were you standing beside me?"

Souji nodded, his expression indiscernible.

"You also heard... my thoughts?"

He suddenly gave a small huff as a thin wry smile drew across his face. Slowly, he shook his head and answered, "No. You have no shadow."

Naoto stood silently, her eyes searching his face for deceit. He shrugged and displayed his palms in an open stance.

"You have no shadow." He repeated. "I believe that is due to the acquisition of your persona." He paused, searching Naoto's eyes, watching her digest this information without committing it to belief. "I thought it might be the case the second time we drew close. Our watches indicated we were standing right on top of each other, yet... no shadow." He stopped to rub his head, muttering under his voice, "That was just two days ago... wasn't it? Time moves in funny ways down here."

Naoto glared, eyes reflecting intensity mixed with a dull gleam of fading horror. "So you're telling me...you did not hear my thoughts?"

"No." He cracked a weak smile and admitted. "Though not for a lack of trying..."

Naoto closed her eyes, visibly relieved as her shoulders sagged slightly at her exhalation.

"My only indication that you were close was the watch..." He paused after what he'd said and allowed his smile to fade. After clearing his throat, he continued in a slightly forced tone, "Thank goodness you chose radio waves back then... Just like those crystal radios I used to bring into battle. Radio waves seem to pass through."

Naoto glanced to her wrist, her sleeve covering the watch beneath. There was no use in pretence. As she slid the sleeve back, Souji mirrored her action. They held their watches out, side by side. The frames of both were chipped with exposure and age.

"Well...I'm glad you kept it on." Souji muttered, dropping his gaze from the watch. Naoto turned away as well, tucking hers back into her sleeve. "If you did not wear it, I wouldn't have known you were here."

Without bringing her eyes up, Naoto muttered, "...You were waiting in front of your house that day...waiting on the other side."

"Because I knew, if you or Uncle Doujima were to be called, your first line of enquiry would have been to me."

"Then you tracked down the police station I was working at..."

"Through order of elimination by reading the minds of the officers within."

"And you figured out where I was staying..."

"Because your friend mentioned a bar near your hotel." Souji grinned as Naoto shot him a surprised glance. "I was standing on the other side of the screen when he suggested that bar, the 'Day's End'. I applied for a job there fairly recently. That made it really simple figuring out which hotel it was."

Naoto thought back to the day before when she and Nathan had been preparing to watch the security footage. She had theorised Souji was standing close then, on the other side, but did not fully comprehend the magnitude of the situation.

"You could hear through the screen."

"As you have heard yourself."

That was why he switched the television on as they entered. He was showing her.

"Well...That is a revelation." Naoto pulled on her collar nervously, playing her day's events over in her mind, trying to figure out exactly what Souji could have observed of her. "How long... have you been using this world like this?"

"A week." Souji answered with a shrug. "After I had been released from the police station. I only first entered after Professor Barton was killed, but I didn't stay long then..."

Naoto thought this through. She realised the implications but had to hear it from him. "Why did you enter after Professor Barton's death?"

Souji sported a look of annoyance, rolling his eyes a little darkly. "To see if there was anyone else trapped here, of course."

"And how could you tell?"

"I didn't know at first..." Souji admitted. "I ended up entering for an hour a day, searching for any sign of other living people. And then..." He paused in thought. "Wait, I'll show you."

Naoto's eyes widened in surprise as Souji motioned for her to stay, and promptly marched up the stairs. She made no motion to follow, instead opting to simply frown up after him as he disappeared around the bend.

Slowly, she followed his motion on the floor above, frowning as she traced her eyes across the ceiling. She strained her ears for the sound of footsteps, but the stifling silence was the only thing that met her ears. Naoto's eyes drifted from the ceiling to the elevator shaft. She stepped over so that she stood upon the threshold.

"Ah! So you feel it, don't you?" Souji's voice drifted down from the empty shaft.

Naoto looked up curiously, suddenly feeling unsure and uncomfortable. Her eyes then drifted to the ceiling again, staring at the point where the elevator shaft met the floor above.

"Give me a second."

Naoto's eyes traced the ceiling, following a path down the centre as if through a hallway. It turned sharply, possibly through one of the doors lining the side. Suddenly, she felt utterly alone.

"Souji?" She called out, completely unnerved. She dashed for the stairwell, sprinting up the steps to the first floor. She glared down the hall, somehow knowing exactly which room Souji had walked into before disappearing. She darted in to find the room was a vacant one due to the lack of shadows within. She stood still in front of the television as her eyes drifted to her watch.

[1m]

"Souji?" She whispered to the television screen.

After a moment his voice answered, quiet and muffled. "I'm here."

The screen rippled as Naoto took a step back. Souji emerged again, feet landing lithely upon the carpeted floor.

She breathed out in relief, which itself was a surprise. She didn't realise she had been holding in all that tension.

The atmosphere changed tangibly.

Naoto frowned, realisation dawning at what Souji was suggesting by his little demonstration.

She looked at him. "I can feel your presence in here."

"And you can track it." He added with an easy smile. He knew she would catch on quickly.

Naoto shook her head, running her fingers through her hair under her cap, trying to shake off the feeling of oppressive loneliness. It felt like so much like back then, the moment when she had been trapped in that construct from her own mind.

Had Souji really lived like that for a week?

Naoto gritted her teeth, stopping her direction of thought. She had more important things to consider.

"...I'm not a sensor. I never had that power before." She muttered, pointedly ignoring her sense of empathy.

"And neither had I..." He said with a huff as his smile drew into contemplation. "It feels different...without the fog."

"So, is that it?" Naoto asked, trying to quickly make sense of this phenomenon. "Without the fog, we're able to do what Rise could?"

Souji took a second to think before answering slowly. "I...cannot say for sure...but I wouldn't think so." He shook his head, crossing his arms. "She was able to track a person by an idea of their state of mind. We can only tell that someone is in here and in exactly which direction they're coming from, not how far they are, nor their exact location."

Naoto thought back and realised how she had tracked Souji's movements from the ground floor. It was inexplicable.

"So right now...are we the only ones in here?"

Souji took in a deep breath, turning around on the spot. "I think so."

Naoto nodded, realising what this meant. "Back then...You had sensed the presence of another person...within."

Souji nodded in return. "But I never got to him. At first, I didn't know where he was. It took me a few tries to understand how to follow my senses...but I never reached him." His eyes darkened. "Two days after the appearance of the first presence, another entered...and after about an hour...the first presence disappeared."

Realisation struck Naoto. "What you're saying is- A person? Not a shadow?"

Souji nodded grimly. "The next morning, I heard that the boy's body was discovered..."

"Robert Sanders." Naoto uttered in thoughtful breath as she finally started to understand. "When was it you first discovered his presence?"

"Hmm... had come home from uni...ate dinner...I'd say about seven PM, two days before his body was found."

"What was your prior relationship with the victim?"

Souji paused, mouth slightly ajar. He clenched his teeth as his brows scrunched in a frown. "I did not know him."

Naoto frowned back. "But you met with him."

Souji drew silent, a look of annoyance upon his face as he admitted, "Yes, once..."

"Why?"

"Because..." He heaved a sigh and told her, "He stole a car."

Naoto flinched in surprise, mind racing back the white car she had examined in the morning.

"I cannot prove it." Souji continued. "But I have reason to believe he was the one who stole it. That car...you saw today." He peered at Naoto, confirming his own words.

"And you would not tell the police this because it would be used against you." Naoto mused, nodding in understanding.

His face relaxed, visibly relieved. "I didn't think you'd believe me."

Naoto nodded again, this time slowly, realising from anyone else's perspective that the explanation was farfetched at best...but because it was him, she understood. "You think that is the car that was involved in the hit and run incident seven years ago in Inaba?"

Souji nodded, looking a little sheepish. "But I've got no proof..."

Naoto heaved a sigh, amazed by how presumptuous he was to think she would be able to tell the significance of that car with one glance. However, he had known she worked with the archives back in Inaba and had read all of those that had been stored there. It was certain that she would have read the hit-and-run case and, given her familiarity with the victim's family, that she would remember it too.

It was a logical conclusion. She would have come to it too.

"Why do you think this car is that one?" Naoto continued. Even though that was her first thoughts as well, it didn't seem likely that Souji had the same advantage. "There are millions of cars in America, many of which would match the description, not to mention in Canada, Europe, China, and basically any continental country."

"Europe isn't a country."

Naoto shot him an irritated glare, not even bothering to respond to that.

Souji flashed a small amused grin before his eyes casted into a serious tone once more. He crossed his arms, putting his thoughts in order. "...I first saw that car...two years ago."

Naoto frowned. "But the insurance company claims it was insured with Barton for...barely a year."

"Exactly. I didn't see it first with Barton." He paused, suddenly looking unsure. Naoto placed her hand on her hip and waited patiently for him to continue. "I...saw it...in a storage house at the docks..." He went silent again, then slowly and reluctantly he admitted, "It was a company owned garage. I was accompanying my father. The storage was under his supervision."

The realisation seeped into Naoto's mind, implications forming a lump of dread in her gut. "You...believe it was your father?"

"No! I don't!" Souji exclaimed with a snap. "...He is my father. I have to give him the benefit of the doubt. And even if it was...I will not testify against him."

Naoto nodded grimly. "I understand."

Souji weakly grinned, thankful she didn't press the issue. "I have to believe...it is someone else within the company. I mean, it can't be him! He has a shadow! No persona. He can't put people in!" He began pacing, visibly agitated. "Two years ago, I accompanied my father to the docks to help him with stocktaking of the storage. Ordinarily it is not his job but he had insisted on doing it himself this time...I'll assume it was because of the car...and I assumed then it had just arrived." He shook his head. "That was not the case. When I looked over the shipping record I realised it had arrived two years before then... hence four years ago. It had been sitting in that storage since."

"But... the incident was seven years ago."

He grimly nodded. "And the car had been stored in Japan for three years."

"Until the watch on the shipping manifest had ceased..." Naoto said as a conclusion began taking shape from the details off the police records she had read so many years ago.

Souji shrugged. "I suppose so? I wouldn't know. I don't know much about the details. I only saw one photo of the car. Uncle had brought it home one night."

Naoto nodded. "I understand. Please continue."

"Alright...Well, I saw the car. In storage. Among a bunch of other assorted refuse. The first time I saw it, it had no windscreen and no fender, and there was a very obvious dent in the bonnet. The paint around that area was peeling off, and some rust had set in... But only down the centre, around the dent damage."

"Blood residue." Naoto offered. "The saline composition of plasma causes paint peeling and rust. Some may remain even after most being washed off."

Souji gave a curt nod of acknowledgement. "Well...the moment I saw it...I realised it looked to be a car, exactly like the one in the photo...I don't know why that was the first thought in my head." He gave a shrug. "Afterwards I began digging through company records. I realised...the company cars had once been that very same model. Only recently had they upgraded to the Nissans. At that point it felt like it fit too perfect to be a coincidence."

"I see. And how did it end up with the professor?"

"...I confronted my father about it. He claimed it wasn't his...and that it had been a request from this company that he shipped it over to America...the same time we moved." He suddenly looked uncomfortable but pressed on regardless. "Less than a week later he reported the theft of that derelict car to police." He frowned in distaste. "Imagine my surprise when I had walked the professor to his car a month ago."

"Did you ask him where he purchased it?" Naoto pressed eagerly.

"Of course. Here." He fished a slip of paper from his jacket pocket and offered it to her. "I had returned home last night to get this for you. The name and address of the dealer. Barton had given it to me when I asked him. I had pretended I was interested in a cheap, reliable car."

Naoto accepted the note, unfolding it momentarily to give it a quick glance before tucking it into her gun holster, feeling the hard edge of the photograph folded and stored within.

"I had visited the dealer afterwards and pretended to be a representative of the company." He grinned, apparently amused by the memory. "Long story short, I ended up convincing him to put me in contact with the kid who had done some work for 'us' earlier, confirming that the theft of the car was indeed staged."

Naoto slowly nodded. "And the hired help was the second victim."

"Precisely. Not long afterwards I had approached the young man with questions which...weren't terribly fruitful." He rubbed his chin upon the memory. "Either way, I felt I knew enough to confront dad about it. Then...less than a week later...the professor died."

Naoto digested this information. "Then you tried and failed to save that young man."

"I didn't even know that was him inside until the next morning."

"And what about Detective Ramsey?"

Souji's eyebrow twitched in surprise, but then he slowly shook his head. "When I had been released...my parents were not even home yet...I arrived home at about six...Six thirty? I headed straight in. I had been worried others might have been committed inside since I was held by police. The presence had entered soon after...this time not alone...and after a short moment only one presence remained..." He shook his head "I did not know it was that detective...until now."

Naoto crossed her arms, thinking it through. "Indeed it had been the shortest time between the victim's disappearance and discovery. The most likely event would be that the perpetrator felt your presence when he came to finish off Sanders, and did not risk allowing victim three any reprieve."

Souji nodded slowly. "But that begs the question..."

"Number four." Naoto finished.

"Yes. Two nights ago I felt a presence enter... and some time after there was another." He gestured vaguely in a general direction. "They were standing together approximately at the same direction... But then one of the presences disappeared, leaving only the one..."

"Michael Teav."

Souji shrugged. "I suppose so. I didn't ask his name. I was more interested in getting him out of there as quickly as possible. It took me a few hours to reach where he was and the moment I approached him he shot at me." Souji grinned ruefully, rubbing the back of his neck. "I suppose he had good reason. I was so lucky my personas made it harder for me to die in here."

"His bullets hit you?"

"And Izanagi-no-Okami took it like it fairly well. Still stung a bit. I used the doughnuts to recover afterwards-" He paused, looking suddenly sheepish as Naoto glared at him in surprise. "Uhh... Thanks for those, I suppose. I'll treat you to California Rolls later..."

Naoto crossed her arms. She knew something was missing. Even though she wasn't planning on eating those, it was more the principle of the thing that counted. She nodded to him to continue.

"Well..." He started again. "After taking a few hits I ducked into safety for a while, trying to convince him I was trying to help. It took a while but he eventually let me approach, and I helped him out of the TV."

"He couldn't exit himself?"

"No, he wasn't a persona user."

Naoto rubbed her chin as even more details fell into place within her mind. "I spoke to Teav several hours after he emerged. He claimed a man in a white hooded jersey helped him."

"Hmm, yes." Souji nodded "I changed clothes last night."

"He also claimed you were the one who pulled him in." She paused, silence stretching out between them. After a long moment she slowly she shook her head. "No... He had suggested it, and he didn't sound sure."

Souji nodded in understanding. "Stress."

Naoto mused for a moment, and then voiced the question in her mind. "How does he fit into this equation?"

Souji shrugged in response. "I have no idea. I've never met him. I've never talked to him..."

"But since he is involved now..."

"He must know something."

Naoto nodded, committing another point of inquiry into memory.

"But that being said..." she murmured, lost in thought once more. "The perpetrator...must be a persona user as well."

"To enter and exit at will, yes..." Then a knowing smiled slowly spread across his face. "He must have been blessed by Izanami in Inaba."

Naoto nodded. "The driver of the white Sedan...met with an untraceable gas attendant on the day of the accident."

Souji grinned. "If we find who was behind the wheel of that car-"

"We find the perpetrator." Eyes suddenly wide, Naoto lapsed into an excited silence. A smile spread across her lips, her eyes darting from side to side as her mind leapt a mile a minute. She suddenly froze ridged with vicious grin on her lips. "And since a persona user is not visible from this side..."

Souji's eyebrows gave a little rise. "We can use this knowledge to our advantage." Then he paused in thought. "But how? I can only track you with our watches..."

"And we can use _that_ to our advantage!" Naoto grinned, excitement fuelled by the closing of the net around the criminal. "By what you have now told me we can safely assume the perpetrator is from within the company. You can see the shadows of the people from in here, walking in the steps of the people outside, but if that person has a persona, you would not be able to see their shadow, or even know they're there." She closed her eyes, a satisfied smile on her face. "But what if I stood on the other side?"

Souji nodded slowly, his fast mind realising exactly what Naoto had in planned. "You wish for me to count the shadows-"

"And tell me how many you see, by standing that many meters away." Naoto flourished her watch, excitement shining behind her eyes.

Souji reflected her grin. "Tomorrow, then?"

Naoto paused in thought, then slowly shook her head. "No. I need to build a case first. I need to obtain a warrant. I wish to speak with Teav, and I do not believe he will be permitted to speak with me again without one."

Souji rubbed his chin, musing slowly. "Then, I'll visit again tomorrow night and ask about the progress."

Naoto nodded, and silence stretched forth between them. Ever so slowly, the awkwardness set in once more. The excitement following the wake of revelations began wearing off. Souji too felt the natural familiarity melt away, and shifted uncomfortably on the spot.

It had felt like back then.

Working together.

Working so well.

They had forgotten the rift between them.

But now it glared back at them.

The barrier of time and broken promises, separating what once had been closest to their hearts.

Now they remembered once more, where they stood.

Naoto cleared her throat. "Well then...Goodnight." She uttered, gritting her teeth at how awkwardly that came out. Reddening, she quickly turned to the exit, unable to take the memories anymore.

A hand snagged hers, pulling her to a stop. They stood still in silence for a moment that seemed to span a lifetime. However, his hand eventually, slowly, withdrew.

"Thank you. I'm glad you came." He said, in a clear flat voice.

Naoto nodded without turning back, and then dashed for the stairwell.

* * *

><p>AN: Ahaaaaah! Finally they meet! Took a long while hmm?

I have now updated enough times for the established pattern of my chapter arrangements to appear. I put forth the challenge:

Can anyone figure out this pattern and calculate how many chapters there will be in total?

Kharta has created a very artsy title page for this fanfic. Check it out. Link is on the top of my profile page.

A thank you to my Beta reader and video game reviewer Jahan. If anyone is into video games take a look at his reviews on the PALGN site. Needless to say he did the Persona 4 review. Find the link to the persona 4 review on my profile page.

Another thank you to my second Beta reader Bukala who not only has edited my fanfic for a smoother read but has graciously agreed to use his time to tutor me on how to fine-tune my writing skills. Not every fanfic writer gets such an opportunity to learn.

Disclaimer: I do not own Persona. If I did there'd be unique dungeon costumes like in P3P! Imagine Naoto in Female Battle Panties! xD *Gets shot*

Next update 23rd of December

Chariot: The Lines Appear

_As truth exposes the dots connect, _

_The blood runs deeper than you suspect._


	17. Chariot: The Lines Appear

Fate or Fortune

Chariot: The Lines Appear

_As truth exposes the dots connect, _

_The blood runs deeper than you suspect._

**Thursday, March 23****rd**** 2017 **

**San Diego; USA**

"I know you got a lot of work to do...but don't you think getting some sleep is a good idea?" Nathan asked tentatively from beneath his plastic sunglasses, eyeing the exhausted young detective sitting shotgun.

Naoto had completely lost track of time while uncovering revelations the night before. She ended up retiring to bed far later than she originally anticipated. So late in fact that it was around the time she had intended to wake up. She slouched exhausted in the passenger seat, eyes fluttering against the dull grey light of the overcast day.

"You're really pale..." Nathan winced as he peered over his shades. "You really ought to call in sick."

"I'm not sick." The fatigued detective muttered under her breath, struggling to keep her eyes open. "Just get me...strong coffee."

Nathan grinned. "Strong coffee? What you need is rest. Or industrial strength caffeine pills."

"Fine, get me the pills."

The tall detective snorted with laughter, "Let's just try an espresso, and if that doesn't work there's a packet of No-Doz in the glove box."

* * *

><p>They arrived half an hour late to the station, whereby Nathan played the 'Got stuck in traffic' card when in actuality they had wasted their time queuing at a cafe that happened to be over-capacitated specifically on this day.<p>

Thankfully Naoto had recovered considerably during that time due to the unhealthy blend of extra caffeine shots in her system. Considerably alert, and twitchy, she marched to the archives officer with her mind turning around the possibilities on how to establish her case for a warrant.

As she approached the desk the officer greeted her, handing her a manila envelope. Naoto took it with surprised curiosity, unsure as to what it was about.

"It's from forensics." The archives officer replied to her unvoiced question. "Bad news."

Slipping the report from the envelope, her heart dropping to her shoes.

Inconclusive. The DNA was far too degraded to obtain a positive result.

Of course it would be. What did she expect? For her luck to turn good all of a sudden?

She slipped the sheet back into the envelope, tucking it under her arm. "Thank you. I'll be sure to thank the forensics team later. However, I have another enquiry to make."

The officer straightened in his seat so that he could make eye contact. "Alright. Shoot. What is it?"

"I would like to ask..." Naoto hesitated, chasing down her spiralling thoughts. "I would like to ask if Trans-Western has lodged any car theft reports...within the last two years?"

The officer's left brow immediately shot up. Without a word he pulled his drawer open, slipping out a folder and placing it on the ledge between them.

Naoto eyed it in surprise.

That was fast.

"I haven't had time to put it away yet." The officer replied once again to her unasked question. "Since Ramsey asked for the exact same thing. Just before he turned up dead."

Naoto's eyes widened in shock. "Why was this not a part of the evidence report I was handed?"

The officer shrugged. "Beats me. I entered it to the detectives as a point of enquiry. They didn't follow up. They were busy, trying to look for their suspect who, I understand, still hasn't been found." A hint of mockery laced his voice.

Figures. In their search for their only suspect they neglected to follow every lead through.

But then again, how would they have known the significance?

"He was a sharp man..." Naoto acknowledged, rifling through the thin report, stopping on the one she was searching for. "Detective Ramsey...his car was towed at the financial district..." She paused, acknowledging the connection she had failed to make till now. "With report in hand, it would be logical to infer that he was making a visit to Trans-Western."

"And is that where we're going?" Nathan chirped, unable to stay silent any longer as he finally removed the gaudy sunglasses.

Naoto slowly shook her head. "We'll need to establish a warrant first. I'll assume in light of this new revelation it might be enough, but I wish to establish a few facts first so that we do not march into questioning blind."

"Oh? What do you have in mind, Detective?" The officer leant forward, slightly impressed.

Naoto considered it for a few moments, unsure as how to broach the next point. "...The young victim... Sanders. All his criminal offenses...Were they in a specific district?"

"Hmm..." The officer turned to his PC, bringing up the victim's criminal records after a slight lag. "I'd say so... in a broad area sense..." The man mused as he scanned the street names.

"I wish to ask, within that area, are there any car repair yards, or scrap yards, or second hand dealers?"

The officer nodded, seeing Naoto's line of logic. "Well of course. Give me ten minutes. I'll print it."

As it turned out that estimation was a bit hopeful. Twenty minutes later the two detectives were able to hop back into the car with the list in hand.

"So which one first?" Nathan peered over to the passenger seat where sat the short detective. His heart plummeted at the length of the list.

Naoto scanned it down, pausing her finger as she spotted the name she was after. "This one."

Nathan peered at it curiously, typing in the address into his on-board GPS. "What's the logic?"

Smiling ruefully, she answered, "You just got to trust me on this one..."

The lanky detective grinned widely. "Leave it to me!" He drew out his plastic sunnies and slapped them back on. "You grab some shut eye, I'll get us there!"

Naoto nodded, a thankful smile on her lips.

* * *

><p>The drive took slightly less than an hour, out of which Naoto managed only a grand total of ten minutes shut-eye. She had over-estimated her ability to over-come the stimulative power of Xanthine-based derivatives and ended up feeling much worse by the time she awoke.<p>

"Dale-Morgan Salvage, hmm~?" Nathan mused as he parked his car to the curb and leant against the steering wheel, peering over the rim of his sunglasses out at the shady looking garage and car-yard. "Well...I know I shouldn't judge a book by its cover... But..."

"What's wrong?" Naoto asked, surprised to find Nathan scrutinising so. "I thought this was a common look here."

Nathan had to snort at that. "You've been watching too much Hollywood, Naoto." He slipped off his shades once more, tucking them into his shirt's breast pocket.

They alighted and approached, stepping over metal gratings fixed into the concrete, towards the open garage. Since it appeared to be the only building it was logical to assume the main office was within as well...if establishments like this even had offices.

"Hello~?" Nathan called into the open roller door, staring uncomfortably into the empty darkness. A rattling clank sounded in answer, but no one resided inside. It was only just large enough to hold a single car, but it stood mostly empty; a few heavy tools lay bolted down around the edges but not much else.

Nathan took one tentative step inside, calling out once again but louder.

"I hear yah!" A voice answered back. "Hold yer horses!" A door that was hidden in the shadow of the back corner suddenly opened. A round podgy man in oil-stained overalls waddled up, squinting around. "Luke!" He called, glaring around the empty garage. "Bah! Where is that slacker?" He scratched the back of his thick neck, finally turning to acknowledge his visitors. "I'm sorry for the wait. Someone should have been here to attend to you."

"It is perfectly fine." Naoto waved his apologies off politely. "We were hoping to speak to the manager of this establishment. Am I to assume that is you?"

The man paused briefly, and looked down in surprise, as if noticing the small detective for the first time. His expression automatically changed, and in a tone of simpering politeness he answered. "Why, yes I am. Henry Dale. At your service. What can I do for such a pretty young lady?"

Naoto's eyebrows shot up in surprise. Beside her she heard Nathan stifle a giggle.

"I am...Naoto Shirogane..." She began, unsure if she ought to convince the man otherwise. "I would like to talk to you about a car that was bought from here."

"Aaaah." Dale grimaced. "I'm sorry, we don't do refunds...but I can get someone to take a look at it for you if you have problems with it. Free of charge of course." He added with a wink.

Naoto suppressed a shudder as she cleared her throat. "Ah, that is...very kind of you...but no, that's not what I meant."

"Oh? Then what is it that you're after?"

Naoto pondered for a second on how she should offer the question. She had a feeling displaying her position of authority was not the right way to get answers. Souji had originally fooled the man into thinking he was from Trans-Western...but there was no way she could do that. As a detective employed by police, she had to follow a strict code of ethics defined by the guidelines under which she was contracted. Deception by law-enforcers was strictly forbidden, unless one was stationed undercover...

Under such circumstances there really was no other option except directness.

"There is a car I know for a fact that was bought from here and would like to consult your records about." She nodded to Nathan, who offered her the folder. She tipped open the contents, slipping out the photograph of the professor's sedan. "This car was bought from here approximately a year ago, and was likely obtained by you possibly two years ago. I wish for you to put me in contact with the person who sold it to you."

Dale gritted his teeth as he suddenly blanched, realising exactly who was speaking to him. "Are you cops?"

Nathan offered his badge, confirming the man's fears. "We're onto you." he growled. "We know this car was stol-"

"We are investigating a murder case." Naoto quickly cut him off, surprised at her usually good humoured companion's sudden change in attitude. "Any help you can offer will be much appreciated."

"Murder?" The man blanched harder, sweat beading on his temple. "I-I didn't kill no one."

"We do not suspect you Mr Dale. That is not why we're here." Naoto continued smoothly, laying the man's fears to rest. "We are after information, information that you have. It would be valuable to the furthering of this case, and the apprehension of the perpetrator. You have the capacity to assist in preventing further victims."

Dale paused, still sweating, chewing on his lip with a look of uncertainty on his face. "W-what is this about?"

"I'm sure you've heard about the mysterious murders that have happened around this area recently? The 'Bodies on the Rooftops' case...so the media has dubbed it."

Relief and understanding coloured Dale's face. He stepped forward eagerly. "There isn't much I'll be able to tell you if it's over a year old. It's not like I can recall sales off the top of my head."

Nathan harrumphed, puffing out his chest. "You better think hard-"

"It would be a great help." Naoto cut him off once more, gritting her teeth.

The man heaved a small sigh, rubbing the back of his head. "Alright. How can I say no? Gimme another look." Nathan offered it at that prompt, thankfully keeping quiet. Dale stared down the picture, brows furrowed in genuine concentration, until finally he shook his head with a sigh.

"I think I get what you're after." The man answered slowly and carefully. "However, I have to say this is no car that I've sold."

"This is bought from you!" Nathan insisted aggressively. "We have evidence it was bought from you! ...Right?" He ruined the effect by glancing questioningly at Naoto, who closed her eyes and counted to ten, suppressing the urge to banish the man to his car.

"It is our understanding it was purchased from you." Naoto supplemented, knowing full well she did not have any evidence save Souji's testimony to support her words...even that couldn't be submitted on a report docket. "It was also our understanding that it may have come to your dealership in a less than favourable manner..."

The pudgy man slowly gritted his teeth, "...I had no hand in that. I had no idea those cars were hot."

"Ah so you don't deny you're a crook." Nathan stated, a look of condescension on his brow.

"I am no such thing!" Dale snarled back. "It was all Jack's fault! Jack Morgan. My ex-business partner."

Naoto frowned. "Ex?"

"The idiot got mixed up in bad business several months ago. Ended up knifed in the street. Since then I've been discovering nasty little surprises from his end of the business and been stuck with all the clean up." Dale shook his head in frustration, his dangling chin jiggling with the motion.

"Then would you have any documents to officially identify the origin of this car? Any at all?" Naoto pressed, sensing she might be closing in on the link she needed.

The salesman shrugged his massive shoulders. "I dunno. Probably. I mean...I haven't even finished going through Morgan's crap. I just shoved the pile into a corner...I don't even know when I'll go through 'em."

Frowning darkly, the young detective stood in silent contemplation, slightly daunted by the description. She had firsthand experience trying to organise a 'pile' of documents before and knew she did not have the time to casually sift through such a thing.

Nathan opened his mouth, quite obvious about to say something else obnoxious when Naoto finally spoke again, a line of logic upon her mind. "Mr Dale, has a representative of Trans-Western come to you of recent?"

Dale plucked his lips and slowly nodded. "Yeah, there was one. Came about a month ago. He said he was representing some company under that name... I think." Without a pause he added, "He looked to be Chinese. But with chalk-white hair."

Naoto's heart leapt to her throat as Nathan gave a start. She had not intended for the information of Souji's involvement to have been revealed this way. "I-I see. This man...he came seeking someone. Can you give me the information you gave to him?"

Slowly the light of understanding flickered on in Dale's dull eyes. "Ahh. He's involved? Ah right. It wasn't documents. It was a list of names in Morgan's old contacts book. Wait here a sec." And with that he waddled off, headed for the door at the back of his garage.

"...Souji Seta again, hmm?" Nathan mused, eyeing Naoto critically.

He parted his lips, a question on the tip of his tongue when very suddenly Naoto rounded on him. "What were you thinking _acting_ like that?"

Nathan flinched, taken aback, all previous train of thought scattered in panic. "I was...trying to help?"

"Help? Those statements were completely unnecessary. That man did not have to be intimidated for information!" Naoto paused, realisation suddenly dawning on her. "...Detective Evans... please tell me...that wasn't your attempt at 'Good Cop, Bad Cop.'"

Sheepishly the tall detective grinned, the answer written plain on his face. Naoto buried her face in her palm with a sigh. "_Now_ who's been watching too many Hollywood movies?"

Nathan held up his hands in defence. "You're right. I could have made it worse. But I thought, 'Hey, if I was gonna practice it anywhere it'd be best when I know the interrogation couldn't possibly be ruined by me'. After all..." he grinned with a sly wink. "What man could resist your flirtations?"

Naoto stepped back defensively, face suddenly flushing red. "I...wasn't flirting!"

"Oh, sure. Like you didn't completely take advantage of that poor man just then?" Nathan gave a bark of laughter. "You didn't even correct him when he mistook you for a female. Poor guy never stood a chance."

Naoto clamped her jaws tight, unable to defend herself from that jibe. Instead she turned her back to Nathan, furiously silent as she awaited the arrival of her evidence.

* * *

><p>The sun peaked from the clouds briefly over the course of the afternoon. The rays from the weak sun filtered through the windows of the police department, bathing the desk Naoto borrowed from Nathan. Positioned so that she could soak up the rays, she sat silently contemplating her next course of action.<p>

With the sales document and the testimony from Dale there was now a means to proceed by...but at the cost of casting Souji back into suspicion.

Not only Souji, but that salvage yard manager too would take a heavy burden for his offer of help. He did not know it yet but by offering the information he had handed the proof to his own conviction. Although he may not have had a hand in obtaining and selling the stolen vehicles, his business had, and as a partner in ownership he bears responsibility whether he was involved or not.

He didn't know it yet... but after his testimony he was going to have to face a lengthy larceny trial. If he survived that, he was then likely to be set upon by people seeking reparations for stolen vehicles, angry people with legitimate reasons...or opportunists. Either way he was ruined.

The law would not protect him for his service. That wasn't the way the system worked.

Once he'd done his part he would be discarded.

Naoto knew that well.

She sighed, leaning back in the chair. The price of justice...was rarely ever fair.

But it was up to people like her to uphold it.

No matter the cost.

With a frustrated sigh she propped her chin on the knuckles of her right hand, sinking into an expression of deep contemplation.

The moment they returned, Naoto had the files submitted, causing a flutter of intense interest. She went on to request the shipping records in the San Diego docks from four years previous, after the month of March to be procured. She then had someone contact the Inaba police station to request a copy of the hit-and-run case be transferred over as well as tip them off to search for the shipping manifest on their end from that similar time period.

With a semblance of operational direction, the entire precinct was now in a flurry of activity, carrying out her instructions with surprisingly little resistance. But then again, she had more than proven her capability by bringing in results, and they were all reasonably bright enough to understand exactly how her requests fit into the situation. Though they were unlikely to have any idea as to how she came to her conclusions...not that anybody asked.

Her head tilted downwards slightly as her breathing became rhythmic. Given a few moments reprieve she had finally given in to fatigue.

She did not know how long she had been out for, but next thing she knew the sound of her watch pierced through her stupor. Slowly she stirred, acknowledging the implications of the shrill, but too tired to care overly much.

"Your watch's making sounds again..." A familiar voice rumbled awfully close to her.

Naoto struggled to pry open her eyes, glancing up slowly, still dopey from sleep. Her eyes were met with an expanse of dark tailored fabric. She followed the folds of cloth up until she met with the jovial face behind it.

Nathan grinned, waving discretely at the drowsy detective. He perched half-sitting half-leaning on the desk right beside her.

"Ha ha. You can sleep sitting up. What a skill!" He exclaimed with light-hearted amusement. "I couldn't even tell you were sleeping till I was right here!" He suddenly paused, grin fading slightly as he watched Naoto attempting to gather her wits, which somehow sleep always ended up scattering.

"If you knew I was sleeping...why are you being so loud?" She groaned as she rubbed her bleary eyes, willing them to come into focus. Glancing at the face of the watch she noted its twin was hovering within her vicinity.

"I...dunno..." Nathan answered, sounding suddenly unsure. "I guess it was because I thought you'd rather not be caught sleeping on the job?"

"So you caught me out?"

"...Well better me than them, right?"

Naoto raised her eyebrows at that. Glancing over her shoulder, she caught the dark glare the aged Detective Owen Bentley shot her from across the room, before turning sullenly away.

"It's because you're kicking the crap outta him." Nathan whispered in a belated show of discretion. "You come along and in three days you were able to put together more than he's done in over a week...over a fortnight!"

Naoto shook her head with a sigh. "This isn't a competition..." She had to grimace at the irony of her own words... merely two years ago she might very well have treated this the same way.

"...It's so odd seeing you saying such Naoto-y things without a Naoto-y expression." Nathan stated with a deep throated chuckle, causing the young detective to glare at him, eyes still fluttering with sleep. "D'aw~ you look so cute when you can't keep awake."

Glaring in disapproval, Naoto drew her lip out into a pout, prompting Nathan to laugh harder. "C'mon, I kid! I kid!" The older detective exclaimed, choking down his laughter.

Naoto made a small sound of disapproval in her throat before giving a relenting sigh. She dropped her head once more, letting her eyes flutter closed.

A silence stretched out between them, standing starkly in the background bustle of the busy police station. Unusually quiet for the boisterous detective.

She cracked an eye open, raking it once more across the face of her wristwatch, noting the numbers came to a rest, right where she sat.

* * *

><p>The warrant was obtained by mid-afternoon, but not for Trans-Western. It was for the search of the room belonging to that of Robert Sanders.<p>

Although his room had been searched once before, it was in regards to clues as to why he was targeted, and had been offered voluntarily by the concerned and devastated foster carers. Their primary search had been focusing on the people the young man had been in contact with, and had not been putting him under much personal scrutiny. In the light of the most recent revelation, the young man's involvement became a matter of immediate attention. All efforts were being expended on this, as it was a major lead, the first solid lead they've had since the investigation began.

A forensics team, which included the Caruso duo, were equipped and ready to mobilise along with several detectives and a team of police for support. Unfortunately Naoto was not selected as part of the force that would break this investigation despite being the one who uncovered the critical evidence.

Naoto was not devastated by the decision; she understood the logic behind it. When the case was wrapped up they would want to be able to collect the credit for the breakthrough to save face for their initial failures.

Well...it could have been her cynicism causing her to misinterpret the situation...but frankly that didn't matter.

Because she didn't care.

So long as they gathered what she needed to push forward with the case, it didn't matter.

This case extended beyond her pride.

In her current condition she was highly likely to miss fine details, anyway. It was probably for the best she wasn't in charge of this search.

Not too long after the team left, Nathan offered to take the drowsy detective back to her hotel. He figured since she was not going to be utilised she might as well get some rest. Naoto initially refused, determined to await the results of the search, but then realised that was somewhat pointless. If they found information she would be able to sort it out first thing the next morning when she was fresh and alert, and if they hadn't already, she would then arrange for the warrant to be formalised.

And, if she had to, she would gladly accompany another set of detectives for the questioning.

So long as she could close this case, it didn't matter who got the credit.

Naoto eventually relented as exhaustion and sense finally won over, and was chauffeured back to the hotel by Nathan, stopping only to pick up Chinese take-out for her dinner. He had seemed to have come to the conclusion that it was Naoto's favourite when in actuality her request was only due to a sudden bout of nostalgia.

She would have ordinarily eaten it anyway but she was simply too physically and mentally drained.

When the exhausted detective finally stumbled back into her room, she just unloaded the take-away and her manila folder onto the shelf by the television, kicked off her shoes and fell onto her bed, not even bothering to remove her hat.

Too tired to even strip off her overcoat, she laid on top the covers, unable to even drag herself underneath. She was out cold before the crimson glow from the clouded horizon had faded away.

* * *

><p>In a dimly lit room Naoto startled awake when she felt her fringe disturbed by a gentle motion. That motion was so familiar she did not even need to wait for her eyes to adjust to know exactly who it was.<p>

"Good evening, Naoto." Souji's voice greeted in an even tone, his tall, indistinct shape looming over her. "I see you've become even more self-conscious of late." His crooked smile came into focus as his eyes watched her with distant amusement. "Do you not even bother to undress for bed anymore?"

Naoto propped herself onto her elbow, ignoring the jibe. She no longer felt the pressing affliction of fatigue upon her mind and was glad for the clarity.

Slowly she pushed herself upright, brushing aside the duvet cover that had somehow ended up tugged from its tight tuck and curled around her torso. She sat upon the edge of her bed, noticing with a blink of surprise that her overcoat and gun harness had been removed and were settled neatly folded at the end of her bed, her cap sitting beside them.

Around her room she could see signs of Souji making himself comfortable: The curtains were drawn, her bedside lamp was on, and the chair she brought inside the night before was positioned closer to her bed...facing her.

She glared disapprovingly as Souji stepped back and settled into that chair.

"How long have you been here?" Naoto asked as she glanced to the watch, noting that it was a little past midnight.

"Hmmm...I came at around nine. About the same as yesterday." Souji answered without a shred of humility.

Naoto gave a start, glancing back at her watch noting that it was definitely past midnight.

He had been here for three hours?

Souji noticed this and grinned, following her direction of thought easily. "Don't worry, I haven't been waiting long. I had occupied myself with a little reading." Naoto finally noticed, the case files sitting on her bedside table despite being sure she had left it by the television with the take-away container...which was also unaccounted for...

"...I wish you'd ask before helping yourself..." Naoto muttered under her breath.

Souji looked almost apologetic. The moment passed and he sat forward. "I had a read of the secretary's profile."

"The one submitted by the human resource manager." Naoto nodded in confirmation, and then admitted with a hint of embarrassment. "I haven't gotten around to reading that yet..." She had been too busy with other leads by day and during the evenings...she had been too distracted.

Souji glanced at her, eyebrow tilted slightly upwards, mildly amused and surprised at the same time. "Well...if you had, you'd have known this man was stationed in Japan for a few months..."

Naoto's eyes widened. She snatched the folder from the table, flipping it to the page of interest. "...Seven years ago..." She muttered, the implications chasing around in her mind. "But you said...he had no persona."

Souji nodded grimly. "I can't see how if he were a Persona user that he would be exempted from the rule that governs us. I can't see you. And I know you didn't see me."

Naoto thought back to the night before when Souji had climbed through the television back into this world to prove a point to her. She nodded in confirmation, understanding the point he was establishing now. "Basically, it is unlikely that he's a Persona user..." she stated, pulling together her thoughts. "But...he could know who the actual perpetrator is. He could have been involved in the original incident somehow."

"That's what I thought." Souji admitted. "It could be the reason why he was trapped inside."

Naoto nodded, thinking hard through everything she had learned from her brief conversation with the man. She was certain he hadn't mentioned anyone of note in his statement. He had only spoken of Souji...

But that didn't make sense. If the perpetrator was someone familiar to him he ought to have recognised him. Did he forget due to trauma?

...Or was he being threatened?

Naoto gasped, with sudden realisation. "The CEO!" then grimaced at the irony. Nathan's pot-shot guess might have been right.

"Saito-san?" Souji frowned at her quizzically, and then thought long and hard. "What makes you think it's him?"

"... I...don't know for sure..." Naoto mumbled, mind racing. "But I remember, when I went to take Teav's statement, I heard raised voices of conflict behind the closed doors of the office." She paused for a moment then spoke slowly, refreshed mind quickly pulling pieces in place. "He had only come to America...six years ago to become CEO..."

Souji nodded with understanding in his eyes. "And we can confirm this as planned."

"Tomorrow. I'll be able to get the warrant tomorrow."

He grinned with relief "We'll be wrapping this up in under a week, I can imagine the wonders it'll do for your reputation."

"...Reputation... is not what I am after." Naoto mumbled, causing Souji to regard her with surprise. "My job is to solve the case. And to solve it as fast as possible." She stated evenly, crossing her arms. "My job is to save lives..."

Souji's eyebrows rose slightly, face set in mild surprise. "...That wasn't what I expected to hear from you at all. You grew up while I wasn't looking."

Wincing, the young detective gritted her teeth at that nonchalant comment. "It wasn't like you were looking."

The young man glanced away, slightly troubled. "...I guess...not."

The silence grew heavy between them, with Naoto looking away miserably, hoping Souji would get the message and just leave. Apparently that was too much to hope for.

"Then...tell me about what I've missed." Souji broached the silence, smiling gently. "How have you been?"

"...Fine." She answered without much feeling.

"... Just...fine?" The psychology graduate leant forward, propping his elbows on his knees. He offered an open smile designed to put people at ease. "...Do you want to talk about...what happened?"

Naoto shot him an annoyed glare, seeing the clinical edge to his expression. "If you are treating me like a patient then I'd criticise your professionalism. You should know better than to attempt to treat someone you're too familiar with."

Souji gave a weak smile, eyebrows lifting marginally, expression apologetic, yet strangely amused. "Well isn't that just the pot calling the kettle black."

Naoto winced, acknowledging his jibe without much feeling.

"But...I can tell you are troubled..." He pressed on, folding his arms as he leant against the chair. "I cannot help but believe it is because of me."

Silence lanced through the room.

Naoto gritted her teeth, furious that such a topic would be broached. She did not answer, but her expression was telling enough.

"... You...did not move on..." Souji mumbled, eyes finally dropping.

"I moved on fine!" She snapped, teeth bared in fury.

The young psychologist brought his eyes up once more, staring at her, analysing her. "...Did you find...someone else?" He watched for a moment more then dropped his gaze. "Of course not."

Gritting her teeth, she retorted. "I don't need anyone." She turned away, utterly humiliated. "I moved on. I moved on alone."

Souji heaved a small barely audible sigh. "You are pushing people away again."

"I get on with people fine!"

"... Then did you make any new friends at least?"

Naoto did not want to participate anymore. She folded her arms and gazed away disjointedly. She was not going to indulge his prying curiosity.

Souji waited for a few minutes. Realising he wasn't going to get an answer, he pressed once more. "What about that partner of yours? What do you think of him?"

Nathan? What did he expect her to say about him? She only knew him for three days...four if she counted the pick up from the airport.

"I can't help but notice...you don't even try to get to know him-"

"He's a colleague." Naoto cut him off. "And you can't really expect me to strike up a relationship with him in mere days."

"No...Not really." Souji grimaced. "But I am surprised...you're aware of how he thinks of you."

Naoto gave a sigh. "I know...I know he's interested... but I also know he is interested in me as a man." She shook her head with exasperation. "And I am not interested in him."

"...The fact that you notice surprises me..." He gave a slightly humoured grin. "But no, that's not what I meant." He settled back into a serious expression, leaning forward once more. "It's that you have no interest in him. Not even as a potential friend."

Naoto's gaze shifted slightly, floating over to Souji, but not meeting his eyes, her expression subdued and unhappy. "...Are you trying to treat what you see as a problem? Don't. I was right all along." She dropped her eyes, muttering low. "...I didn't need anyone."

Turning away, she hid the tears that were starting to form, furious at herself for putting up such displays, and furious at him at pursuing this taboo topic. Didn't he even have the common courtesy to leave her be? To let her just complete her task and leave?

Souji watched silently, glancing away once more. He opened his mouth, but then closed it, words failing him for the first time. "Sorry." He eventually muttered; regret finally breaking in his voice. "...Back then...I thought it was the right thing to do."

Naoto didn't answer; she turned almost completely, attempting to discretely wipe her eyes.

"...Four years...I did not think it was right...to make you wait."

"...Please...stop..." Naoto's voice came out weak and strangled.

"...I know I did something stupid...making the decision on my own...I know words can't fix it..."

Naoto didn't respond. She wouldn't turn around. Her frame shook silently.

Souji watched for a moment more, shoulders slumping. He slowly pulled himself up from his seat. "Then...at least...at least let me keep my memory of you..." He paced down to the foot of her bed, reaching to her gun holster and slipping out the photograph from within.

Slowly he pulled his wallet out, sliding the folded photo into the nook, its form fitting perfectly.

"And please...keep your memory of me." He slid out the brass etched ebon pen, placing it neatly upon her folded coat.

Silently he disappeared back into the empty world.

* * *

><p>AN: Merry Christmas and Happy New year all! Thank you all for the 100 reviews! I couldn't have asked for a better present!

Kharta has created a very artsy title page for this fanfic. Check it out. Link is on the top of my profile page.

A thank you to my Beta reader and video game reviewer Jahan. If anyone is into video games take a look at his reviews on the PALGN site. Needless to say he did the Persona 4 review. Find the link to the persona 4 review on my profile page.

Another thank you to my second Beta reader Bukala who not only has edited my fanfic for a smoother read but has graciously agreed to use his time to tutor me on how to fine-tune my writing skills. Not every fanfic writer gets such an opportunity to learn.

Disclaimer: I do not own Persona. If I did there'd be additional "After-Christmas" dungeon talk... if you catch my drift ;)

Next update 6th of January

Temperance: To Scry the Truth

_Seek the depth of truth concealed,_

_Balance sacrifice to a minor yield._


	18. Temperance: To Scry the Truth

Fate or Fortune

Temperance: To Scry the Truth

_Seek the depth of truth concealed,_

_Balance sacrifice to a minor yield._

**Friday, March 24****th**** 2017 **

**San Diego; USA**

The familiar pressure of the moving elevator barely registered on Naoto's mind as she stood silently with her partner, flanked by two uniformed police officers. Nathan's tall presence loomed behind her. He was silently bristling with nervous energy. They were about to execute a search warrant approved by a magistrate less than an hour ago.

When Naoto first arrived at the station this morning, fresh and alert, she was hailed down immediately by a massive backlog of reports. The investigation team from the day before had uncovered several new articles of interest previously overlooked from the teen victim's room; the most telling of which was the wad of hundred dollar bills stashed in a worn and old envelope hidden in the dead space below the bottom drawer of his barely used study desk. The envelope was immediately taken to the forensics lab for testing, although due to the un-stuck nature of the adhesive at the top of the envelope there was very little hope for saliva evidence to be found.

A fingerprint analysis was also performed upon the envelope and its notes, using antibody-binding analysis to bring forth the years-old latent prints.

The serial numbers of the bills brought to light that these were relatively freshly printed at the estimated time of acquisition. That made investigations go a lot smoother as it reduced the number of people the notes would have passed through and subsequently the prints pulled from the lot.

The forensics team managed to isolate several sets of prints that appeared most commonly upon the set of notes. After eliminating one set identified as the victim's, the remaining ones were placed under intense scrutiny. One partial print, exactly identical and perfectly consistent, trailed down the edge-most part of every note, near the corner. This coupled with the fact that no evidence of such a print was found upon the envelope pointed to that this most likely belonged to a bank employee who tabbed through the wad to check for quantity and consistency before distribution. Yet even so it was entered into the report for further analysis.

Of the rest of the prints, almost none were found more than once upon the notes. However some of them looked...odd. Some did not resemble fingerprint at all, with the traces not forming traditional whorls, arches or loops. There were no characteristics to even run computer comparisons to. They would have to be individually lifted and matched painstakingly using computer overlay and human judgement.

Prints sharing this trait were also pulled from some parts of the envelope, exterior and interior.

The conclusion derived from this was that the handler was using leather gloves.

Trace fibres were recovered from the un-moistened adhesive that could prove this theory. These were still undergoing analysis.

This was good. Naoto now had ammunition to work with.

She organised this new information as she waited for Nathan to finish finalising her submission for a search warrant. She utilised all the information she had obtained the day before to establish a possible motive, which she attached to her submission.

Her patience was repaid.

A few hours later she received the call to move out.

* * *

><p>This is where she stood now: the top floor of the company building, finally ready to get to the bottom of this case.<p>

She stepped off the elevator and into the hallway, hearing the footsteps of the other officers following suit.

Her watch chimed through the silence, alerting her to the presence of Souji. She swallowed nervously, unsure as to why she felt such apprehension. It was definitely not due to the upcoming confrontation.

It was due to a previous one...

After last night...she didn't want to be anywhere near Souji.

But, for the good of the case, she had to deal with it.

She wouldn't have to see him. He'd be on the other side.

Use his information. Close the case. Deal with it. This was no time to get distracted.

Stepping up to the heavy double doors, Naoto stepped aside and allowed the tall police officers to walk past. One of the heavy set men reached out and slammed his fist hard against the door twice before announcing clearly that it was the police.

There was a silence at first... a silence laced with a subtle buzz of background noise originating from within. Naoto peeked at her watch, noting the numbers were set at a distance, very tellingly arbitrary.

Four meters...

There were four shadows.

Naoto stood with Nathan and two other police officers, and since she did not have a shadow that made three. There was one more.

And he was not answering.

The police officer knocked again, this time harder.

Naoto strained her ears to listen for movement, but didn't hear a thing from behind the thick doors except that muffled indistinct noise.

Without warning, the door swung open to admit the law enforcers. The sound, now coming through louder, pinpointed its origins from behind the closed doors of the office. It was likely the television.

At the foyer door stood Michael Teav holding the handle with one hand and making a welcoming gesture with the other.

"To what do I owe the pleasure officers?" He politely asked as his surgically paralysed face stayed unmoving.

Nathan unfolded a sheet of paper and displayed it before him. "We have a search warrant. We need to ask you a few questions."

There was a small quiver of motion in Teav's face, but he displayed none of the tells Naoto was used to working with. She understood that she was not going to be able to pick up on lies by observing his facial cues. The Detective knew that if she were to get stuck she might have to ask Souji later for what he picks up on the other side.

She hoped it wouldn't come to that.

"I would like to talk to you about a car that was reported missing two years ago." Naoto stated, watching the man's eyes with steeled concentration.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

Naoto's eyes narrowed, frustrated at her own lack of emotional comprehension and the man's placid face. She glanced once more to her watch, confirming the distance had not moved before raising her eyes and asking, "Where is Mr Saito?"

Teav's brows visibly dipped, as if he was perplexed by the question, before his face quickly settled back into his default mask. He paused for a long moment before answering. "...He's at a meeting."

Naoto's brows shot up. He had to think about his answer. That meant...

"Search the office." Naoto ordered the two officers, who quickly stepped forward to do as she ordered. Teav immediately jumped in the way, barring entrance to the room. "You can't go in there!"

Nathan shoved the warrant in his face, making it clear that they could and they would.

Teav allowed himself to be pushed aside without offering much resistance, his wooden face not giving any hints about his state of mind.

The officers roughly pushed open the door, blinking slightly as the change in light gradient hit their eyes. Naoto's heart plummeted as she gazed upon the empty office, the blaring television the only sign of motion within.

So he was telling the truth?

No...

"I said he wasn't here." Teav insisted again, this time more forcefully. But Naoto heard it, the slight quiver of relief in his voice.

"Mr. Teav...if he wasn't here... Why is the TV on?"

No change of facial expression, but Naoto could now see the fine film of sweat coating the man's forehead as it glistened in the natural light.

"...I was watching the television." He answered after a pause. "I like to watch while the boss isn't around..." His Adams apple quivered as he swallowed silently. "Please don't tell him. It could get me fired."

Naoto's eyes narrowed as the corner of her lip twitched upwards. "But, Mr. Teav... You did not come out of the office." She watched his pupils dilate and his hands begin to shake. "If you did, would I not have heard the volume of the TV get louder when you opened this door?" She gave a knowing tap to the frame of the office door, suppressing a grin of satisfaction at seeing her logic trap the man.

Teav did not answer, his face still a mask of stone, but the tremor in his hands betrayed his calm facade.

Saito was here.

"But...does this mean he entered the television?" Nathan asked, eliciting a weary glance from the two police officers.

It did...

Naoto suddenly started, pulling the sleave up glaring at the face of her watch.

'Out of Range'

A sliver of ice slid down her spine.

Naoto brushed past into the office, glaring down the room, unsure as to what she should do. What _could_ she do?

_Should_ she do anything?

Souji was an excellent fighter...

But...

"... Mr Teav, tell me." She turned, facing the four staring men. "Did Mr Saito have a gun?"

Teav gave a pause, and then gave a shallow nod.

Naoto let out a low hiss, turning, running her hand through her hair under her cap.

What should she do? If she entered now she could go after them.

But then what?

She had a gun...and a persona...but so did he. So did Saito.

And if the past was any indication he would be blessed with a version of Izanagi...

Naoto's main abilities were to execute weaker enemy shadows directly. They wouldn't work on other persona wielders. Her only other abilities would either drain large portions of her energy, which she didn't have much of, or damage her as she used them, and she couldn't even heal herself...

She wouldn't stand a chance alone...

But neither would Souji...

He was unarmed, and unarmoured.

He won't even be able to hide.

He could take a few shots, his persona was strong, but he wouldn't be able to fight back.

He would have to run.

If she entered it'd be all she could do to avoid getting killed as well...

Naoto gritted her teeth. Pursuit was not an option.

She turned slowly, eyes steeled against Teav's motionless mask. "I want a copy of Taketo Saito's schedule for the past month. I want the security footages from the past fortnight." She paused, glaring furiously. "And I want you to make your decision, Mr. Teav. When we take down your boss, which side will _you_ be on?"

* * *

><p>Dashing at full speed, Souji sprinted down the empty glowing street. His breath came low and heavy, not because of exhaustion, but because of the injuries he had suffered.<p>

He had come face to face with Taketo Saito at the Company, or at least the shadow version of it. He had been counting the glowing figures for Naoto, informing her of the numbers using their improvised distance method.

Souji had been standing too far away to hear the thoughts of the four clustered orbs. He stewed there frustrated, wanting to know. He had even gone so far as to consider removing the watch and placing it down on the ground so he could approach.

It was lucky he hadn't, because no sooner had that thought passed through his mind that he felt the presence of another.

He had frozen in shock, staring as the form of Taketo Saito drop through the screen in the door-less room beyond. Saito had appeared to be equally as shocked to see him standing frozen just beyond the threshold of the foyer.

Saito wasted no time. He un-holstered his pistol and fired scattered shots down the empty hallway.

Souji didn't wait to find out how good his aim was. He had dashed straight for the emergency staircase, leaping down one flight at a time, not bothering to wait to see if he was being followed.

He was exhilarated then, having confirmed with his own eyes who the perpetrator actually was.

He had the answers.

So in a way... he wasn't depending entirely on Naoto to pull him out of this mess...

But he had completely miscalculated his situation.

As he escaped from the hollow building, diving through haggles of those noisy transient shadows, he had run recklessly out into the open.

That was a mistake.

A bullet ploughed into him, propelled not by the chamber of the semi-automatic alone, but by the power of persona as well. It flew perfectly, shattering upon Souji, not piercing like a true bullet but the impact knocked him off his feet.

It was then he understood the true gravity of the situation.

He was facing a hostile encounter, with no weapons or armour, relying on only his endurance.

He took off the moment he could pull himself to his feet, thankful the second shot Saito fired at him veered off target.

He sprinted flat out, headed for the police station he knew Naoto would return to, thankful that the world's stasis effect ensured he wouldn't run out of stamina. Unfortunately that meant his pursuer wouldn't either. He was counting on the possibility that his top speed was much higher than the older man, allowing him to put distance between them.

He slowed down a step, concentrating, calling up Norn to cast Diarahan. A bright light swept over him, piercing the drab orange glow. He felt his muscles relax and pain ebb away.

With a frown and grit teeth, he slowed to a stop.

Switching his Persona out again he called forth Izanagi-no-Kami.

He could sense someone was still there, somewhere behind him, but could not tell how far he was or if he was being chased at all.

He could keep running...

However, despite not even a weapon or armour, Souji was a powerful Persona user.

If that was the case...he could end this here and now.

He could clear his name himself.

* * *

><p>Folders and documents scattered before Naoto as she scribbled furiously in her notepad. Frustration shadowed her movements. Her brows furrowed in both concentration and crippling worry. Her fingers trembled as she gripped the pen tightly, its ebon luster reminding her every moment of the situation.<p>

And all she could do was wait.

She gritted her teeth, buried her hands into her hair, disarranging the curls in her furious grasp and letting her hat fall away.

She had to calm down.

It wouldn't do for her to fall apart in her workplace.

Naoto leant back to take in a deep breath and let her pulse settle.

Her eyes were suddenly covered as something was dropped over her head.

She started anxiously, reaching upwards, only to find it was the brim of her cap. She pushed it up and turned to Nathan who was standing beside her with a worried expression etched upon his face.

"You ok, Naoto?" he asked, his voice coloured with genuine concern.

Instead of speaking, Naoto slowly nodded. She was unable to trust her own voice. Slowly she turned her attention back to her notes, trying to relax the tension from her grip. She pressed the tip of her pen to the paper, but she was unable to write, unable to think.

"He has major appointment gaps on the days the disappearances occurred." Nathan stated, running his finger down the appointment ledger they appropriated. He paused a few moments to read through Naoto's illegible scribbles. He noticed her pen was frozen, standing still in a pooling ink blotch.

"...The grunts are back. They've got the security footage." Nathan tried once more, referring to the two officers that had come with them. They had stayed to wait for the copy of the requested security media file to finish copying onto a police thumb drive. "Do you want to take a look at it?"

Naoto slowly shook her head. Her nervous fingers began rolling the pen around.

"Well...nobody else is going to watch it..."

Naoto glanced at Nathan in confusion, seeing the grim light in his eyes.

"Something else had just come up...and the station is all-hands-on-deck."

Naoto frowned and turned behind her. Her eyes widened as she finally noticed the office was half-deserted.

"... Another disappearance has occurred..." Nathan stated grimly as Naoto turned her attention to him. "...This time... It's the ex-girlfriend."

No...

Naoto shook her head, brow furrowed.

No.

This was...

With all the evidence as it stood now...

"...Everything looks stacked...against Souji."

Naoto slowly shook her head, uttering her disbelief in a whisper. It was Saito... She knew it was Saito...

Yet she couldn't prove it.

All the evidence she had was circumstantial. Her only chance of proving her case...relied heavily on Souji's testimony...

What did she have now? The knowledge of the television world? The knowledge the man had a persona?

That couldn't be submitted.

"...It isn't Souji..." Naoto muttered, her fingers cradling her head at a complete loss as to what to do.

Nathan leant passively against his desk and lowered his eyes. "I believe you..."

"...But they won't." Naoto shook her head, feeling the crush of crippling hopelessness.

Nathan slowly nodded. "...They say...she disappeared last night..." he spoke in a subdued tone. "Her parents reported her in this morning."

Naoto heaved a sigh, shaking her head.

Everything was falling apart.

What could she do?

What could she possibly do?

_**Beep**_

The shrill sound of her watch pierced her thoughts, instantly stopping her freefall into despair.

He was alive!

Naoto leapt from her chair, startling Nathan, and without a word of explanation she made a dash for it. Her eyes were glued to the watch face as the numbers changed erratically. She tore the door open and barrelled into the AV room, eyes fixing onto the screen.

"Souji!" She called into the screen, realising with frustration that he wouldn't be able to hear her unless he was standing close.

She glanced at her watch again, realising with a sense of horror the numbers were still bouncing around ten meters.

She had to catch his attention.

But the screen was too small. She couldn't fit inside.

All she needed to do was to get a message to him.

Naoto unclenched her fist, realising she still held the pen in her grip.

That was it!

Naoto unbuttoned her jacket, pulling the end of her shirt tail from its tuck in her trouser waist. Unclipping the lid, she unsheathed the letter opener's blade, turning it upon the fine fabric of her shirt. She sliced off a square, pressed it against the table and scribbled her message onto it, frustrated by how badly the ink was taking to the material.

'Sandy Charlton is missing.'

That was the message she would send to him.

She rolled up the cloth around the blade and clipped the cap back on, casting it forcefully through to the other side.

She heard it clatter, the sharp sound letting out a muffled echo through the rippling screen.

She glanced back to her watch with a sigh of relief as the distance ticked downwards once more.

It ticked down fast.

"Naoto!" Souji's muffled voice came through the screen. "They're after-!" His voice was cut off by a sharp echoing bang. Then silence.

Naoto pressed her fingertips to the screen. A numb shock set over her. Her fingertips pawed uselessly against the rippling screen. Suddenly, a large hand took hold of hers, pulling her away from the monitor.

"Come on Naoto..." Nathan murmured. "There's nothing more you can do."

Naoto shook her head, trying to pull out of his grip. "He's strong. He can survive this!" Naoto glanced around the room, desperately willing a larger screen to appear.

Nathan tugged on her arm, gently at first, then insistently, pulling the struggling detective towards the door. "Don't be reckless. Even if he could, there's nothing you can do for him."

* * *

><p>Souji dashed out of the hollow VC room with the pen rattling around in his jacket pocket.<p>

Naoto was mistaken. They weren't after Sandy.

A bullet flew down the hallway as his pursuer fired, steering him away from the front door.

Souji dove deeper into the hollow precinct. Without stopping, he rounded the corner into a much larger room. He dashed for the closest window and vaulted through.

He had to find a large portal quickly.

It didn't matter where.

He had to get out and find Naoto.

Things were not as they seem. He had to warn her. Protect her.

This was his second miscalculation.

He should have realised, by the bullets whizzing behind him, that he was still being chased.

He should have realised it was the one man who could chase him back into the real world.

He instead barrelled into the first doorway he saw, and dove through the screen that he knew he'd find within.

Suddenly disorientated by the clutter of furniture and the existence of physical windows, Souji stumbled around, unable to mentally map the room after having been turned one-eighty degrees in the shift.

He hesitated a fraction too long.

A shot rang out, and he felt a shattering impact.

His knees hit the ground as his vision seared red.

He fell, hitting the carpet, lying there unsure as to why his muscles had suddenly refused to obey him.

Then the pain hit him.

He felt it, the unbelievable teeth clenching pain, burning upon his back.

He gasped, clenching his teeth, unable to pull together the sequence of events that resulted in this.

Blood pooled around him, his eyes widened with panic as the blood seeped into the carpeting.

He heard the shuddering tremors of footsteps before a black leather shoe stepped into his vision.

* * *

><p>"Shirogane."<p>

Naoto looked up wearily from her slump at her desk, mildly surprised someone other than Nathan had pronounced her name properly. For two hours she had been left in wallowing silence, with not even Nathan's voice to break the edge. To her surprise, the man to disturb her was no other than Detective Bentley. "Peterman wants to see you."

The young detective frowned. Was it just her, or did he seem like he was suppressing a sneer?

Naoto glanced up at Nathan, who glanced back with a shrug.

Without a word she pushed herself from her seat and strode towards the desk in the cordoned off-corner area that had originally belonged to Detective Sergeant Ramsey, now resided by Peterman, Nathan dogging her without a word.

They both knew it was not going to be good news.

They were right.

Peterman sat with his fingers laced before him, glaring as the young detectives entered his office. "There has been an incident." He began before Naoto even found her seat. "Only two doors down, a man returned home to find a substantial volume of blood on his living room carpet..."

Naoto looked confused, unsure as to why she was called for this.

"This blood splatter seemed to have trailed down from the television, and pool at its foot."

Naoto's heart thudded coldly in her chest.

"No body was found, but a wallet was recovered at the scene..."

Peterman drew out a clear bagged item from the drawer, sliding it before Naoto's dreading gaze.

"I would like you to explain why you appear to be on the photo we recovered from the suspect's wallet?"

* * *

><p>AN: Kharta has created a very artsy title page for this fanfic. Check it out. Link is on the top of my profile page.

Important notice: Kharta's dojinshi adaptation of Fate or fortune goes up tomorrow! Title page linked in my profile. All the pages shall offshoot from there.

A thank you to my Beta reader and video game reviewer Jahan. If anyone is into video games take a look at his reviews on the PALGN site. Needless to say he did the Persona 4 review. Find the link to the persona 4 review on my profile page.

Another thank you to my second Beta reader Bukala who not only has edited my fanfic for a smoother read but has graciously agreed to use his time to tutor me on how to fine-tune my writing skills. Not every fanfic writer gets such an opportunity to learn.

Disclaimer: I do not own Persona. If I did the rumoured Persona novel "Persona X Detective" starring Naoto Shirogane would be freakin reality already!

Next update 20th of January:

Tower: Misjudged Faith

_Change upends the path aground, _

_Doubts appear where lies were found._


	19. Tower: Misjudged Faith

Fate or Fortune

Tower: Misjudged Faith

_Change upends the path aground, _

_Doubts appear where lies were found._

**Friday, March 24****th**** 2017 **

**San Diego; USA**

Naoto shook her head in disbelief, her eyes stuck on the blood splattered photograph. The blood had smeared morbidly over Souji's smiling face and spread into the white creases beneath.

"On the back too. Writing..." Peterman flipped it over. "'Find Doctor Barton's car?' That was the reason for your initial inspection, was it not?"

Naoto stared, chilled to the bone, her mouth suddenly dry. "...When was this...found?"

Peterman huffed a breath from beneath his bristling moustache. "Over an hour ago. More than enough time to do a fingerprint analysis."

Naoto lowered her head, understanding exactly what Peterman was driving at.

"...I can't believe Bentley was right...you were aiding the suspect."

"It wasn't him!" Naoto slammed her palms to the desk. "He was trying to save lives! He was saving people from Taketo Saito!"

"Mr Saito had an alibi for the time of death of every victim." Peterman shook his head, disappointment in his eyes.

"He doesn't have an alibi for any of the abductions!" Naoto pressed, grasping desperately, suppressing the confusion struck by that fact. "He doesn't have an alibi now! The blood...I can guarantee it was his doing! ...Because...he killed...Sandy Charlton!" Naoto's eyes lit up. It was horrible for her to hope so...but that blood...it might belong to another victim. She hoped it did.

Peterman shook his head, "Even though the analysis hasn't come back yet we know for sure it isn't Ms Charlton." He shrugged marginally. "Ms Charlton returned home not long after police went to investigate her disappearance. She had simply stayed out all night, doing what typical teenagers do."

It had no right to do so, but the moment she heard that Naoto's heart plummeted. She couldn't think of anyone else that blood might belong to other than...

After a moment of pressing silence, Peterman spoke once more, disappointment lacing every word. "Shirogane...your actions have compromised the entire investigation."

Naoto sat with her head bowed. She didn't know what to do, what to say.

"Because of what you did, half the leads we have now may not even be submissible to court."

Naoto didn't answer. She couldn't think.

"...We may even have to charge you on grounds of obstruction to justice."

Naoto jerked up with a start. She was going to be charged? Like a criminal?

"No wait!" Nathan finally intervened. "I can vouch for all the evidence we've gathered! All of them! Not a single one was obtained unlawfully. Not a single one was compromised!"

Naoto, pale and shaking, shot him a grateful glance. Nathan had faith in her. He was going so far as to stake his career on her...

And she felt terrible...because her prints on that photograph were going to take apart everything.

Peterman huffed a sigh, not thrilled by the situation either. "Alright. Evans, I need you to stay back and sort out all the evidence you've submitted. You need to attach a new report to every article." Nathan nodded, determination shining in his eyes, a gaze coloured by not a shred of doubt or uncertainty. "As for you Shirogane..." He glared at the miserable young detective. "You are to be taken off the case. You are to return to your own country. And if charges are laid, you are expected to respond. If you do not you shall be extradited."

Naoto nodded grimly as she watched her world fall apart.

* * *

><p>Silence enveloped her hotel room as Naoto laid listlessly on the covers of her bed.<p>

She had been driven back by a pair of officers headed out for patrol due to the fact Nathan was now inundated with work.

Her fault...

She screwed up.

Her contract was terminated. Her visa was ended...she was to leave within ten days...

She stared at the ceiling, playing events over and over again in her head.

_The wallet..._

_The photograph..._

_The blood..._

You don't bleed in the other world, she thought. He had to be outside.

_The gun shot..._

_His voice cutting off._

...He didn't die there...

"_They're after-"_

What did he mean by 'they'?

...What did he mean by...'after'?

After who?

It wasn't Sandy...

After her?

Hah. That was a laugh...

Coming after a detective whose words no longer held water was redundant. Most people started their careers at her age. She was ending it.

Naoto sighed miserably. She couldn't see how she could fix this.

She couldn't see how she could fix anything.

Naoto sat up with hands buried in her hair as she suppressed the urge to scream in frustration.

Her world was crumbling beneath her feet. Or rather, it had already collapsed.

She mentally began again, drawing her thoughts away from self-pity and focusing on being productive.

Taketo Saito is the murderer, she continued to think. I know it is him.

But I can't prove it...

He had an alibi...for the time of death...

But...how?

"_They're after-"_

'They'...

They! He wasn't acting alone!

He has an accomplice...

Perhaps Teav...wasn't just another victim.

He could have stayed back that night...because he was waiting for Saito to let him in.

He wasn't a fourth victim...

...He was hunting Souji.

Naoto ran her hands through her hair, pushing her hat fall off onto the bed. It suddenly made sense. If Saito had a gun, there was no way Teav could have scared him off. He didn't have a persona, but his opponent did, and he was standing in the domain of the persona user...

No matter how good of a shot he might be there was no way a normal human could win against a persona user within their realm.

No. Saito went in to scout for his intruder. Then, when he knew for sure Souji was there, he brought in Teav to take him down.

But...they didn't expect it to be another Persona user.

How could they have guessed more existed?

That was why Teav allowed himself to be led out so docilely. He didn't stand a chance against someone who was adapted to that world, especially not when he himself was but a fragile human.

It made sense.

Saito would place the victims inside. He would establish an alibi. Then Teav would kill them.

Naoto buried her face. Her revelation had come too late. Though the truth had become clear, this clarity only arrived when she couldn't do anything about it.

How long had they using this world like this? Her internal monologue continued.

No... The murders only started two weeks ago. There was no way deaths like those could be overlooked.

But their teamwork...it's unnaturally honed...

They must have been using this world for a while already.

...Not for murder, but likely for corporate espionage...

He was promoted six years ago...

He must have taken down so many for that position, and even more to keep it.

The world of commerce, where secrets existed in abundance...

This ability was a treasure for a man living in that cutthroat world.

But now...now that he knows what it is truly capable of... Now that he knows there's no way for the police to catch him...

How far would he really go to further his career?

Naoto exhaled slowly. It was likely he wasn't going to stop, and now that Souji was gone, there was no one to stop him.

No one but her.

Naoto balled her fists as she felt the ice cold chill in her gut.

If she was to go after him...in direct confrontation...she wouldn't win. Even armed she was not suited for persona user against persona user combat.

But what else was there for her? She could kill him in the real world; however the Shirogane family name would fall into disgrace.

"...Like it hasn't already..." She muttered to herself.

Naoto shook her head, dispelling the idea from her mind.

The suicidal confrontation was all she had.

Even if she couldn't win against Saito, if she could just take out Teav she could greatly hamper him.

If he continues this alone, sooner or later he's going to accumulate a list of circumstantial evidence that would have him convicted.

Yes.

That was the best she could do.

That was all she could do.

She pulled herself to the foot of the bed, slowly pulling on her shoes.

Naoto didn't have a death wish, but if she couldn't live as a detective...

Then, she would die saving lives.

She stepped towards the television as she steadily slid her revolver out of its holster. She stroked her fingers over the screen, watching the surface ripple ominously.

With determination and conviction etched into her expression, she took in a deep breath-

_**Knock knock**_

Naoto paused, glancing over to the door.

She slowly re-holstered her gun and calling out with a voice still quivering under her adrenaline rush. "Who is it?"

There was a pause, but soon a friendly voice answered. "It's me, Naoto! Open up!"

Nathan...

Naoto heaved a sigh, almost relieved. She walked over to the door and pulled it wide. Behind it stood that friendly man holding two bags out with a nervous grin. "I brought Chinese. I hope you're hungry."

* * *

><p>Naoto stared out into the skyline as she sat at the table out on the balcony for the first time since arriving. She watched the sun's rays pierce the heavy clouds, its colour casting the sky into a crimson fury.<p>

She squinted slightly, her eyes unshaded by her hat. She was unused to the sight of the unobstructed natural light after spending so long in the drizzling grey. Her chopsticks rested unused on the napkin laid before her, nestled neatly beside her uneaten food.

Nathan sat across from her stone faced, clumsily wielding the chopsticks in a heavy-handed manner.

He had come to bring the news to her, that the blood sample had been confirmed to be Souji Seta's.

He now ate in silence, watching the young detective before him who gazed despondently out onto the cityscape. The news weighed heavily between them.

Nathan cleared his throat nervously, unused to such a thick atmosphere. "Oh...hey." he began in an attempt to pierce through the silence. "Look... I think I can read some of these words." Nathan chirped unconvincingly, pointing at the Chinese characters printed on the cardboard containers. "This says sen...nen... Thousand years... I can't read the rest. What does it say?"

Naoto glanced briefly, and then shrugged before her eyes phased out yet again. "It's Chinese, not Japanese."

"...Same deal isn't it?" Nathan replied with a shrug and an awkward grin. "You guys use some of the same characters."

Naoto gave a small nod, then a shrug.

"Like this letter here." Nathan pointed once more. "I recognise it. It means white... _Shiro_... I know its part of your name."

Naoto glanced at him once more, and then responded again with a half-hearted nod.

Nathan laced his fingers, grimacing. "...You left your own name on the diary page you copied out..."

Naoto jerked up with start, eyes wide and staring.

Nathan shrugged his shoulders, giving another grimace. "I saw... there were nine names on the page you printed, and only eight on the one you translated." He splayed his hands out. "I knew you were more involved in this then you were letting on..."

Naoto dropped her eyes, feeling ashamed and guilty. "...I'm sorry..."

He shrugged again as his face struggled to stay casual. "Hey. It's ok. I mean... If someone I cared about was involved I'd wanna help out all I could too."

Naoto slumped, turning her face away. She bit down hard on her lip and tried her best to control her emotions. "You...knew about that...all along too?" She choked out, realising Nathan had never seemed surprised at this turn of events.

"I..._suspected_." He replied with a nod. "I saw...things. You called him by his first name...more than once." He gave a small smile. "I know...you people don't usually do that unless you're close."

Naoto almost laughed, the exhalation of her breath ringing with a heavy tone. "Figures. Of all the American detectives I could have worked with I get the one who would notice that."

Nathan shrugged again, smiling at Naoto's response. "Well...it wasn't just that. You came from the same town as him. You attended the same school. The way you handled his photograph...your familiarity with some items in his possession...your watch..." He paused watching her expression go stony again. "...But I don't blame you..." He blinked and glanced away. "I can understand why you did it. I understand you love him."

Naoto flinched, and suddenly slammed her hand onto the table. "I-I don't." She stared at Nathan with blatant denial on her face. "I- No... Not anymore." She shook her head heavily, casting her gaze outwards.

Nathan cocked his head to one side, as if thinking something over, before turning to gaze upon the skyline with her. "Then...let me ask you something." He began slowly, a distant gaze in his eyes. "If you knew what you know now... Knew everything you would have to go through... Everything you are going through now... Would you have still chosen to get involved with him?"

Naoto turned slowly, regarding the man who had been by her side for this case every step of the way. It felt as if she was seeing him clearly for the first time.

If she had known...that Souji would leave her within a year...that his memories would torment her for years after...longer than even the time they had been together. If she had known that by just befriending him she would lose her career...

"...I would." Naoto answered quietly, sighing at her own stupidity.

Even through everything she suffered, she would not have traded those memories for the world. Even if he couldn't keep all his promises in the end, when he was with her...he was always good to her. He always made her happy.

In the end, although it was but one year of her life...it was the one she held onto most dearly.

"Then... I'm sorry to say..." Nathan turned to fix his eyes on hers as he told her, "You're still in love."

Naoto blanched, and shook her head. The shake then stopped, and slowly transformed into a nod.

She couldn't deny his logic or his insight.

It was she who had been lying to herself.

And now...he was gone.

Naoto drew her hand across her eyes as the realisation finally dawned.

He was gone.

Her shoulders began to shake uncontrollably.

A firm hand landed on her shoulder, easing her wracking sobs. Nathan knelt before her, pulling her into an embrace, letting her tears soak through the thick fabric of his dark jacket.

"It's ok." He muttered. "Let it all out. It's ok."

He held her until her shaking settled, until her breathing began to even out. He rocked back on his heels staring up at Naoto's tear-stained face which gave a meek, grateful smile.

"I have to go now, Naoto." Nathan said with a relieved smile of his own. "I've got to overclock to get everything done...but don't worry." He grinned widely, a genuine Nathan-grin. "I've got things under control. We'll get this bastard. I'll make sure of that, so don't you worry! I'll make sure nobody can say you compromised this case."

Naoto gave another small smile and nodded.

"Alright then..." Nathan heaved a deep breath, and stood up straight, towering over Naoto's sitting form. "Take care of yourself. I'll see you again." And with that he slipped away, calling back over his shoulder, "It's not the end of the world!"

The door lock clicked as silence fell within the room, leaving Naoto sitting alone to watch the fading light of the setting sun.

Who would hire a disgraced detective?

It wasn't the end of the world...but it was the end of her career.

And her career was the only thing she had left.

* * *

><p>The shower tap ran with a rhythmic drumming, heating up to the point steam began to fill the room. Naoto stood motionless before the mirror as she replayed the day's events over and over. She slowly undid the buttons of her ruined shirt. The tatters of the tails reminded her of the last words she would ever hear from him.<p>

She dropped it to the bathroom floor and heard the buttons strike the tiles with multiple clacks. The mirror was starting to fog up from the steam. She could barely see her own pale reflection anymore. As she leant her forehead against the cool, moist glass, trying to use it to sooth her own troubled thoughts, she reconsidered her previous decision.

She wouldn't do anything reckless. Forcing Nathan pull her body off a roof would have been a poor way to repay him.

She removed the clasp holding her bandages in place, and began slowly unwrapping...

However, there was Souji to consider.

Naoto paused. Still holding the end of her bandage, she pressed her fingers against the mirror, blotching prints against the fogged glass.

His body was not found. It was likely placed back into the television.

If a person was killed within that world their body will appear on this side, hanging from some reciprocal that connected even remotely to a television.

But what if that person was a persona user?

What if the person was already dead when he entered it?

What then?

Would it be treated like just another item, like a piece of armour or a sword? Like the stash of weapons and medicines and food they used to leave in the TV hub. Unrusting... unrotting...

Perfectly preserved.

She couldn't just let him lie there undiscovered, stuck in his moment of death for all eternity.

She would find his body. That would be all she would do.

She'd enter, only to find and recover his body.

Naoto looped the strand of bandage back around, tugging tightly and taking her time to do it properly.

Her heart felt heavy. Her mouth was dry. The prospect of seeing the last moment of his life etched on his face more than daunted her.

She hooked the clasp back in place, pinning the end of the bandage against her wrapped form. She turned to the shower cubical, grasping the knob, gingerly avoiding the uncomfortably hot spray.

_**Beep**_

She froze. The water spray flickered to a stop. Her breath came fast and sharp as she eased her fingers off the knobs.

She looked to her watch, heart leaping to her throat as she saw the distance tick down.

Souji?

...That would be too good to be true...

Naoto quickly unfastened her watch, hooking it onto the shower knob, making sure the distance wouldn't mark her position.

She moved swiftly, picking her shirt up from the floor and draping it over her shoulders. She didn't have time to do up all the buttons.

She had to get her gun.

She never took it into the bathroom with her for fear of what the moisture would do to it. Instead it was stored in her bedside drawer, the closest to the bathroom.

She had to go out there and get it as fast as possible.

If it was Souji, then good, but if it wasn't...

Naoto flicked off the lights, casting the bathroom into steamy darkness. Crouching low she gently unlatched the door handle, wincing as the popping of the latch cracking through the silence like a whip.

Her own breathing sounded loudly in her ears, as she gently pushed open the door and stepped carefully into her room.

It was silent...and dark.

But she had left the light on when she entered the bathroom.

Her breathing quickening, she moved faster, sneaking as silently as she could. She turned the corner, unable to adjust her eyes to the darkness. Every shadow looked like a potential intruder.

Suddenly she saw the great unmistakable shape of the bed. She approached down the side, doubled over, moving quickly to the drawer.

However, she never made it.

An arm jutted out from the dark, grabbing her roughly from behind. A leather padded hand clamped around her mouth, muffling her cry.

She struggled hard against the grip, feeling the arm apply a submission hold against her flattened chest as the intruder lifted her off her feet. She felt the strength behind it, and knew straining directly against it was futile.

"My, my Detective... Do you not arm yourself?" A sneering voice laced with contempt rang from across the room. She strained her eyes against the darkness to see the shadowy form perched in her chair, sitting by the curtained balcony.

"What can you expect, he's not American." A voice tartly answered in response, right at her ear.

Naoto's breath came rapid and jagged. Her sweat tinted her brow. Each new breath brought with it the smell of rich leather.

She struggled once more, bashing her elbow as hard as she could directly behind her. She felt a solid jolting contact, followed by a sharp exhalation of breath right next to her ear. The hand slid off her mouth. She felt the clamping pressure of the arm against on her chest loosen.

With a flailing motion she forced herself out from the wedge of the arm to slide under it and drop a small distance. Her manoeuvre wasn't fast enough.

The arm clamped down on her once more, this time catching her by the throat and making her choke. Her hands flew up to the arm, trying to pry it off.

"I...suggest. You. Heel!" The voice growled in her ear as the captor tightened its pressure around her neck, forcing tears into her eyes as she struggled to breathe.

"Now now Michael. Don't kill him...yet." The drawling voice ordered. "We still need to settle some things."

The grip around her throat lessened marginally, allowing Naoto to gasp for breath. She felt her feet set gently onto the carpet and the grip release her completely. Yet she still couldn't move. Pressed to her back, she felt the very distinct shape of a pistol's nozzle.

"Alright there detective?" The voice sounded in her ear again. "Let's take it nice and easy. Why don't you sit down?" Naoto hesitated, then turned, guided down the foot of her bed. The second man walked up with the chair, leaning its back against the shelf by the television.

Naoto was shoved into the seat unceremoniously, the two not even bothering to tie her down, so confident they were of their control of the situation.

The lights came on without warning, bleaching the entire room. Naoto shied away, her eyes sensitive from straining so hard against the darkness.

Slowly the room came into focus...

She grimly acknowledged she was proven right as she laid eyes on her two assailants: Michael Teav and Taketo Saito.

* * *

><p>AN: Kharta has created a very artsy title page for this fanfic. Check it out. Link is on the top of my profile page.

The manga's now a go. Check out my profile page for the link to the hub page for the manga!

A thank you to my Beta reader and video game reviewer Jahan. If anyone is into video games take a look at his reviews on the PALGN site. Needless to say he did the Persona 4 review. Find the link to the persona 4 review on my profile page.

Another thank you to my second Beta reader Bukala who not only has edited my fanfic for a smoother read but has graciously agreed to use his time to tutor me on how to fine-tune my writing skills. Not every fanfic writer gets such an opportunity to learn.

Disclaimer: I do not own Persona. If I did what is at the end of that cord attached to her pants would stop being such a damned mystery. I still think it's her wallet! 'cause there's no way it could be the gun...you can tell the cord isn't connected to it during her battles.

Next update 3rd of February:

Death: The Final Truth

_The final act in a great upheaval, _

_Death speaks true against life's last evil._


	20. Death: The Final Truth

Fate or Fortune

Death: The Final Truth

_The final act in a great upheaval, _

_Death speaks true against life's last evil._

**Friday, March 24th 2017 **

**San Diego; USA**

Naoto's eyes darted between her two assailants who towered over her diminutive form. The size difference was made even more drastic by being forced to sit.

Michael Teav stood with his arms crossed and his gate cocked slightly to the side, his face impassive as always. Taketo Saito, on the other hand, sat himself right down on the foot of the bed facing her, his hands sheathed in gloves of dark silk and braced on his knees.

Naoto twitched nervously, running her fingers up her shirt, trying to discretely slot the buttons in place.

He noticed her motion and grabbed her wrist, pulling her hand away from the seam of her shirt. He frowned slightly, spotting her bandages beneath.

Naoto started, attempting to block his hands as he reached for her shirt. He caught her arm and twisted it across her own throat. He gave a signalling nod to Teav, who stepped forward to pull her shirt open.

He froze, surprise piercing through his impassive mask. Saito promptly burst out laughing with an incredulous look on his face.

Teav hurriedly stepped back with his gun still pointed as his face set back to default.

Saito released Naoto's hands, letting her grab the edges of her shirt, quickly pull the edges closed.

"So the little detective is a woman?" Saito cackled as Naoto glowered from her seat.

"I have to apologise for that." Teav mumbled. "I was checking for weapons... I wasn't trying to..." He cleared his throat.

"Ah, such a gentleman, Michael." Saito sneered.

"My mother raised me right," was the mumbled reply, eliciting a snort of derision from the executive.

Naoto sat huddled, pinching together the folds, fingers shaking too hard to find the buttonholes. She licked her dry lips and swallowed hard as she tried to calm her rapid breathing.

Saito glanced at her again before slowly drawing out a watch from his pocket, a gesture that elicited a sharp gasp from her as she recognised what it was.

"Hmm~... That's odd." Saito mused as he looked upon the face of the dangling watch. "The origin isn't her." He paced two testing steps towards the bathroom, and, encouraged by what he saw, he entered. It wasn't long before he returned holding Naoto's half in hand, thereafter depositing both on the flat panel behind her.

That proved it.

"You killed him..." She muttered, feeling numb.

Saito regarded her without a shred of guilt in his grin, splaying his hands before him. "Seta's son? Poor boy. It didn't have to be this way."

"He died...on the outside?"

He shrugged again, still smiling. "He wasn't very clever about his escape plan. Exiting the first chance he had, completely forgetting he was powerless on this side..." He paused, but then amended his words. "Well...comparatively so."

"And you hid the body within the TV."

Saito puckered his lips as if actually considering her question. He nonchalantly nodded. "They said you were good."

Naoto swallowed the lump forming at her throat, unable to say anymore without her voice breaking. She glared at him, gritting her teeth, channelling her anger so that her eyes wouldn't tear.

"Well then _Naoto _Shirogane." His voice toned with outright mockery. "It's my turn to ask questions." He turned and indicated Teav, who almost seem to pale.

"I- I- umm..." Teav stuttered. "Sir... She's a lady..." he muttered almost nervously.

"A girl. For goodness sakes, Michael!" Saito threw his hands up in exasperation. "She was pretending to be a man, so its common courtesy to treat her as such! Let's be polite."

Teav clenched his unarmed fist and stepped forward, causing Naoto to shrink back in her seat.

"...You uhh...might want to answer the questions..." he muttered, not very enthusiastically.

Saito nodded in mock agreement. "Yes, I would much rather you not have to bleed." He brushed aside the waist of his jacket, displaying the pistol hidden underneath. "It would make such a mess to clean up."

Naoto paled, feeling sweat precipitate on her brows.

Putting up heroics here was not the answer. She had to use her head. She had to try to deceive them.

Maybe then she could survive...

Perhaps this was a grim opportunity for her. Maybe she could even turn this around on them. Trap them.

If she couldn't get them on the serial murders, she could at least get them on attempted murder.

Or...murder...

"...Th-there's...there's someone coming for me..." She stammered, trying to subdue the tremor in her voice. "I had plans later tonight. Someone was going to come...to pick me up."

Saito regarded her suspiciously, glancing quickly to Teav and back again. "Indeed? And you're telling us this, why?"

"I...don't want him to be involved in this. He has nothing to do with it." She paused, trying to control her breathing, and waited in hope that her deception worked.

Saito stared at her for a moment more, before slowly heaving a sigh. He suddenly cracked open a smirk and shrugged. "My, my... Not even a day since receiving a new victim and you've already made a date. My country-men have really learned to take things in stride." He paced back and forth, apparently trying to reach a conclusion. "...Alright." he relented after a few moments, causing Naoto to fight back the urge to sigh with relief. "You make a call, you cancel. You do it quickly."

Naoto gritted her teeth nervously and nodded. She motioned for her phone, which she left at her bedside table. Teav stepped over to retrieve it, his gun uncannily still levelled at her. She began to suspect the man had some form of professional training.

He handed it to her delicately as if he was uncomfortable with what he was doing. It seemed he had some form of moral compass...

She could try to use it against him...

Naoto unfolded the phone slowly, letting the scrap of paper fall out into her palm. She dialled in the number, her trembling fingers making it difficult to press down on the aged and insensitive buttons.

She pressed it to her ear, swallowing twice, trying to will her dry mouth to work. It rang once...then again...and again...

A horrible thought struck her that there might be something wrong...that he might not have his phone on him...that it could be out of power...

But the call clicked through, and the line picked up to her intense relief.

"Hello?" Nathan's weary voice mumbled through the phone. "Who's this?"

"Uhh...Hi...?" Naoto spoke, her voice hitching. She quickly cleared her throat. "...It's me."

"Naoto?" His voice instantly perked up. "Oh hey. What's up?"

Naoto licked her dry lips, trying to stop her teeth from chattering. "Umm...about...tonight...I need to cancel. I don't feel well."

The line went silent, then slowly and cautiously he responded. "...Tonight? ...Is something wrong?"

Naoto paused for a moment, and then slowly answered. "Yes."

Silence stretched for several tentative seconds before Nathan finally responded, speaking in a low tone to prevent the sound of his voice from booming through her end. "Alright...hang in there." He whispered. "I'm coming. I'll bring help."

Naoto almost smiled. He came through for her again. "Right. Thank you...for understanding." And with that she hung up.

Saito sat silently through the entire exchange, scrutinising her sharply. Naoto held her breath, wondering if her ruse was seen through. Slowly he stood up, and began to pace once more. Every footfall set Naoto's nerves aflutter.

He stopped mid step, and turned to quickly snatch the phone from her hand and toss it across the bed. "Alright. Start talking."

Naoto suppressed a sigh of relief. It was all up to Nathan now. The police station was but a fifteen minute drive. However, he had to convince other officers to come with him. It could be some time before his arrival.

She had to stall.

"You have to be more specific..." She muttered.

"Don't be a smart-arse." Saito scowled. He reached behind her and grabbed the two watches roughly. "What is their purpose? And where did you get them?"

She gritted her teeth. "I made them."

Saito glared at her, then nodded to Teav, who glared back despondently. Saito glared at him again, and threw up his hands in exasperation. "What good are you?" He exclaimed, before turning swiftly and backhanding his captive.

Naoto blinked furiously. It stung...and it made her eyes water...but most of all it terrified her.

She was being interrogated by a man who was not afraid to employ unethical tactics.

"I'll repeat my question..." he spat. "What are they and where did they come from?"

"...I-I'm not lying. They're handmade. Unique. Th-they're trackers. They're for tracking people on the other side..." Naoto stammered. "It was for maintaining contact...with Souji..."

Saito held the pair up, scrutinising them. "Huh...but their range is very low."

"I didn't have much time..." Naoto muttered, mind working up a story of how she threw them together on short notice for the purpose of this investigation. "I have only been on this case for three days."

"...Yet...they're old." Saito glanced at her once more, his steely eyes regarding her coldly.

"I used old watches." Naoto quickly responded, sweat beading on her brows. "...I...bought them from a second-hand store."

Saito scowled before grumbling, "I sense bullshit." With that he gave her another strike.

Naoto gasped, eyes clamped shut against the stinging pain. "...It's true." She was struck again, always the same spot. She gritted her teeth, eyes squeezed tight against the pain. She could taste blood.

Teav winced and turned away, his plastic face bared into a very visible grimace.

"Alright!" Naoto called, hands held before her in a futile attempt to shield herself. "It's-... it's a token..." she confessed, shaking in her seat. "It...was given...five years ago."

"Why?" Saito spat, eyes shining with menace.

"Because..." Naoto gritted her teeth. She couldn't bring herself to divulge the fact she was seeing Souji. She just couldn't...

That information could be played by his defence lawyer to great effect.

She had to take it to her grave.

"Because back then there were similar murders in Japan." Naoto answered in a rush. "I was a detective on that case."

Saito frowned, as Teav looked away once more. "You? Five years ago? How old are you?"

Naoto gritted her teeth, sensing pain was soon to follow. "I am...twenty one. But! I've been a detective since before I even entered high school." She shied away, uncertain if Saito was going to believe her.

He glanced sidelong at Teav, who shrugged. "I don't see why anyone would make up something so farfetched."

Saito nodded, puckering his lip. He shrugged nonchalantly as he thought it over. He dropped himself onto the bed again in deliberation. Naoto sat ridged, staring, hoping this moment could extend as long as possible.

So long as he was distracted...she could stall, without the risk of pain or death.

But it couldn't last forever.

"So basically, you were some prodigy child detective on that case. And that's why they brought you over for this one?" Saito eventually asked after the long silence.

"Yes." Naoto gave a meek grimace. "Why else would they bring over a twenty-one year old Japanese detective?"

Saito nodded, lips puckering in thought again. "And you used these watches for the case back then?"

Naoto's eyelids fluttered, slowly nodding, not trusting her own voice.

Saito regarded her, and then slowly cracked a sadistic smile. "See? That wasn't too hard was it?"

She dropped her eyes, trying to calm her breathing once more.

She was terrified, but she couldn't let it affect her judgement.

"You know about that world...don't you?" Saito began again, stroking his gloved thumb down his chin, regarding her with a gleam in his eyes.

Naoto nodded, her own eyes flicking downwards, not able to meet his.

"Does anyone else on the police force know?"

Nathan...

"No." She answered, voice quivering. She cleared her throat, licking her dry lips before continuing. "...Who would believe it?"

Teav frowned but said nothing.

Saito shrugged again. "So once you are removed there will be nobody left on their task force capable of pulling this together..."

Naoto felt a bead of sweat trickle down the back of her neck.

He didn't know. He didn't know she was off the investigation. He didn't know Nathan was capable of finishing the case.

Saito suddenly leant forward with a menacing gaze. "That would mean you have that power...wouldn't it?"

Naoto sat ridged, the repercussions for answering truthfully listed itself within her mind...weighed against lying...

Assuming she could get away with lying.

No. She knew too much. She wouldn't be believed.

"...I...can enter...that world." Naoto admitted quietly.

"Ah! Ahah!" Saito jumped to his feet, the wide grin a stark contrast to his wild eyes. "I knew it! How many of us are there? You. Me. Seta's son. That's too many to be a coincidental gathering!"

"I don't-"

"THINK!" He shouted with a snarled inches from her, his spittle flecking her face.

Naoto grasped for words, unable to answer. She felt a chill sink to her gut, knowing exactly what train of thought the man was on.

He felt threatened by the presence of people like them, people who would know what he was doing and how.

He would be rid of them all...

If he finds out about the ones living in Inaba...

Her friends in Inaba...

She floundered, unable to think of what to say. Her mind was clouded with horror at the prospect of what would happen. She shook her head, eyes wide. "I don't know." She whispered between clenched teeth.

She brought her arm up, flinching, knowing the strike was coming. The blow collided with her elbow, jolting it, but hurting Saito far worse. He withdrew, cradling his hand, swearing till he was red in the face. In a fury he lashed out, driving his un-injured fist into her unprotected torso and smashing the air from her lungs. The force of the blow knocked her back into the shelf, chair and all toppling over.

Naoto gasped as she huddled on the floor, clutching her chest as she tried to breathe, her lungs straining against both the injury and the restriction of her bindings.

Through tear bleared eyes she saw Teav grab his boss' wrist, muttering too low to hear. Outraged, Saito tore his hand from the tall Texan's grasp, screaming back, "I AM in charge. YOU are under MY employment! If you cannot help, then DO NOT interfere!"

Still gasping for breath, Naoto struggled to her knees, trying to find her feet. A hand roughly grabbed her hair and yanked her head back as she struggled against her compressed lungs. She felt a silk-encased hand close around her slender neck and press down threateningly but not enough to impede her gasping airflow. Her hands flew to her throat, trying claw her fingers between the threat and her life.

"Tell. Me. Where they are..." Saito's voice hissed in her ear.

"I don't know! I don't know! We've all scattered!" Naoto gasped, eyes completely blinded by tears of pain and terror.

"But there must have been a point of origin! Where?"

Naoto gave a sharp intake of breath, clenching her teeth. "I don't know!"

"The original murders! Where did the original murders take place?"

"I don't know!"

"Liar!"

It really was a poorly thought out lie.

That was the last thing she thought before the grip relaxed, sliding from her throat, and released her hair.

She knelt there, perplexed, unsure as to why she was being shown mercy.

She rubbed her neck, then lifted her hands to her eyes, dabbing away the moisture with her sleeve. She gritted her teeth, humiliated and terrified, hopelessly uncertain as to what would happen to her.

A heavy footfall sounded from behind.

She turned, uncertain, drawing her eyes upwards as Teav finally took a step forward with his gun poised.

"No matter." Saito drawled, suddenly calm once more, a sight that chilled Naoto worse than his unbridled fury. "I can always find out." He grinned maliciously. "After all, a case solved by a child detective... That would big news wouldn't it?"

Naoto felt her heart plummet as she glanced from Saito to Teav, seeing the cold expression in both their eyes.

The Texan's expression of uncertainty had resolved into that of mercy.

...A cold mercy.

That was it. That was all the time she could buy.

No, she thought. It can't end like this.

Yukiko...

Chie...

Yosuke...

Rise...

Teddie...

Kanji...

No...

She shuffled back, eyes glued to the man who had previously refused to participate in such cruelty. Saito stepped past the silent giant, pulling the curtain open and unlatching the glass door behind it.

The wind hissed through, whipping Naoto's hair. A furious storm had struck up beyond her notice.

They were going to shoot her outside...where the wind would render the blood splatter undiscernible.

Without blood splatter to indicate trajectory, if the bullet were to penetrate through, the police would not be able to recover it.

Her body would be hidden within that world...

She'd become another bloodstain without a conclusion...

"Come on. Out you go," Saito ordered, a little more cheerfully than one would expect for someone who was ordering an execution.

Naoto shook her head, sliding backwards towards the bed-side table, realising with a heavy heart that she had stored her gun in the drawer on the opposite side of the bed.

"No...You want to kill me you shoot me here." She backed into the bedside table, feeling the handles press into her back, watching Teav step grimly towards her.

He reached out and latched his leather coated hand over her mouth before yanking her to her feet and dragging her towards the balcony.

"Don't struggle," he muttered. "I'll make this quick and painless."

The only sound to fill her ears next was the howling of the buffeting winds.

His hand lifted from her mouth, leaving her standing suddenly alone out on the windy platform. She could feel flecks of moisture, signalling the beginnings of a rain storm.

She felt a hand press into her back, between her shoulder blades, forcing her towards the edge of the balcony. As she stepped forward, leaning against the rail, she stared down the three story drop. Her stomach clenched a knot, but not for the height.

She felt the nozzle press against the back of her head.

Her breathing slowed, becoming even and regular.

Was this it?

Was this really going to be the last things she would ever see or hear?

Beneath her she saw a familiar car pull to the hotel curb, a familiar man leaping from the driver's side, not even bothering to close the door.

Nathan...

Good, she thought as her breath escaped her in a silent sigh of relief. They've arrived...

They wouldn't be in time to save her, but they wouldn't give her murderers time to clear the evidence.

They would arrest them...and make sure they never got to Inaba.

No... Wait...

He was alone?

No!

No what was he thinking?

Against two armed men?

Nathan!

She could hear a muffled prayer drifting from the lips of the gunman, but his voice was soon whipped away by the lashing winds.

His words soothed only himself.

She held her breath, clamping shut her eyes.

It couldn't end like this...

It couldn't...

_**Crash**_

A great rattling clatter pierced the night, the sound of a body hitting the glass door, shuddering the frame.

A yowling scream sounded right in her ear as she felt the nozzle withdraw.

Naoto felt a hand grab the scuff of her shirt, yanking her backwards and throwing her into the room.

She stumbled against the edge of the bed, breathing hard, glancing around wildly.

Her heart stopped.

With his arms clamped around the secretary from behind, restraining him in a submission hold, his teeth grit in exertion, was a man Naoto never expect to see again.

A man defying death...

Ghost-like beyond comprehension...

Souji.

Naoto gaped, watching the man she had just mourned struggle to pin the taller American, arm looped around his throat and trying to force him to his knees.

His face was pale and clammy and he seemed to favour his right arm as he fought. Blood stained the rip in the back of his jacket.

Between the two struggling figures and her was Saito, sprawled on the balcony against the glass door, scrambling to get up but slipping on the wet tiles as it began to pour.

The gun flew from Teav's hand as the two stumbled inside, clattering against the paved stone of the balcony floor, bouncing across the threshold and onto the carpet. A smatter of blood smeared along its path, staining the handle. Behind the trigger was wedged a blade slotted horizontally into the gap, jamming it from being pulled. Its edge was dipped in blood reaching right up to hilt encased by an ebon half.

A pen.

Her pen.

Souji was slowly giving ground, unable to maintain his momentum. Teav was establishing his footing once more, forcing Souji to step backwards as he was unable to compete against his height and body mass.

The tall American thrust his foot outwards hard, using the force to slam his smaller opponent into the shelf behind him and causing the television to lose balance and fall with a sickening thud. The strangle hold loosened, allowing him to slip out and shove Souji against the shelf once more.

Teav stumbled to his feet, reaching for the discarded gun. His right hand dripped with blood from a deep gash cut through his glove between his index and middle finger.

Stooping, he took the gun in hand with a pained grimace and slid the letter opener out from the trigger. Before he could fully straighten, Souji tackled him again, looping one arm around his neck as the other locked the menacing gun-wielding limb, twisting the firearm away from him.

During that struggle, Naoto quickly slipped to the other side of the bed to kneel down under the edge and fumble at the drawers, her fingers were made clumsy by the adrenaline coursing through her. She bit her lip in panic as she finally took a grip on the handle, sliding the panel out painstakingly slowly. The moment she could hook her finger between the boards she yanked the drawer out completely, grabbing her revolver from its holster.

Both hands on the gun, Naoto pushed up from her knees and twisted into a crouch. Slowly, she stood; gun pointed forward with the command for everyone to freeze upon her lips.

It was then she noticed, beyond the glass door, mirroring her stance, was Saito with his pistol levelled at Souji.

The cry changed on the tip of her tongue, screaming his name.

The hammer clicked back and slammed forward.

Her hands shaking from the after-effects of fear and adrenaline flung back from the recoil. Her shot shattered the glass, whizzing by Saito's head and causing his eyes to widen.

In one swift move he changed targets, and with his gun pointed straight at her, he fired.

By the luck of her trembling knees and the strength of the recoil from her gun, Naoto fell back hitting the wall, allowing the bullet to drive harmlessly into the plaster above her head.

Souji reacted to that, and violently. He smacked his palm into Teav's ear, dazing him, the gun slipping from his grip. He stretched out, reaching for the falling gun, turning end on end and catching it by the muzzle.

His movement caught Saito's attention.

Naoto's eyes widened as he turned back to opened fire, startling Souji so that he fumbled the gun and dropped it as he quickly dove for cover.

The only cover available being his tall opponent.

Naoto froze as she saw a spray of red, and the two bodies came crashing down together.

She didn't have time to process what had happened before Saito turned his attention on her once more.

She ducked for cover, just as the bullet ripped through the top of the mattress, once again impacting the wall with a fine shower of plaster.

She scrambled to her knees, both hands on the handle of her revolver, breathing hard.

She heard his footfalls, purposely softened to distort the possibility of her pinpointing his position by sound.

Naoto gripped the handle, willing her hands to be steady this time.

She knew the man was sliding around the bed, trying to find a good vantage for a shot.

She knew he was watching, waiting to react to her movement...

When she moved out of cover...she must shoot...

And she only had one chance...

She pushed herself up to a crouch, balancing on the balls of her feet.

She took a deep breath and grit her teeth.

* * *

><p><em>Third floor now, third floor!<em>

Nathan dashed like his life depended on it, up the flights of stairs. The elevator would have arrived too slowly for his taste. He couldn't wait that long.

He had to get to Naoto.

As he barrelled through the door to his designated floor, he was greeted by the sight of people, frozen in the hallway, backing away from the door he knew to be Naoto's room.

One of the men turned, sprinting towards the elevator, shouting for someone to call the police.

Nathan's blood ran cold.

He ripped down the hall as fast as he could, un-holstering his handgun, eliciting frightened cries from bystanders.

He paused in front of the door, doubled over, trying to catch his breath.

He didn't know what to do.

Should he just bash down the door?

Should he announce himself?

Should he knock?

He didn't even know what sort of situation he was facing.

What should he do?

He was trained for this but...

This time he had to make the call.

He had to rely on his own judgement.

Nobody else had come.

They'd dismissed his pleas.

They wouldn't help, claiming the dismissed detective was just staging a spectacle to save his falling grace.

Nathan had to deal with this alone.

He poised his knuckle to the wood, and then as if rethinking it he pulled his fist back and slammed it hard against the door. "Police! Open up!"

_**Bang! Bang!**_

He blanched in horror, hearing the gunshots go off.

Instinct from his training and patrol-work took over.

Without another thought he drove his foot into the door, right beneath the knob. The first impact cracking the wood, shuddering it against the frame, the second splintering it, the force of impact swinging it hard and smashing the door into the adjacent wall.

He levelled his gun in front of him, rushing into the room.

An Asian man stood hunched over before him, standing side-on, arm extended, gun pointed to something outside Nathan's range of vision. The man startled, turning to face the intruder, his motion revealing the bloody wound punched into his abdomen, adrenaline masking the pain. He lifted his gun and swung it around towards the law-enforcer standing at the doorway, his injury hampering his motion.

Nathan didn't have time to think.

_**Bang!**_

The detective stood frozen, the barrel of his gun smoking, his eyes wide as he watched the man fall in a burst of blood.

Did he make the right call?

Did he-?

His thoughts spun to a stop, seeing clearly the room beyond for the first time and gazing on in horror at the blood and bodies.

"Naoto!"

He rushed forward, stumbling over the man he had just shot, glancing around wildly.

He counted only three men before him, none of which was of the petite detective's distinctive stature.

"Naoto!" He called, turning on the spot, freezing as he saw the small body slumped against the wall with eyes shut tight. "No..."

The collar of the open shirt was torn and frayed, blood seeping through the cloth, dripping down and staining the bandages wrapped beneath.

"No..."

The bullet hole stood smoking behind her, flecked with blood, almost completely concealed by the remains of her collar.

"No! Naoto!" He reached out, grabbing a fistful of her shirt.

Her hand darted up, swatting him away.

He blinked, surprised, then slowly a grin spread across his face as the small detective opened her eyes and began to breathe.

Naoto gasped, having held her breath the entire time, then winced at the motion. Her hand flew to the superficial wound grazed along the left side of her neck. "I was just pretending."

"Oh, thank god." Nathan sighed in relief. "I thought I got you killed."

"Your knocking distracted him..." Naoto replied through gritted teeth, trying her best to shape a grateful smile.

Nathan grinned back hesitantly, assessing the wound upon her neck. The flow was fast, but definitely not fast enough to have hit a major vein...or artery...or whichever was on that side.

He followed the blood trail to the bandages beneath. "Is there another wound?" He asked, worry lacing his words, his eyes spotting the spreading bruise on her abdomen. "What happened? Why-?"

Suddenly he paused, dragging his eyes upwards once more, staring stunned.

Naoto blanched, quickly drawing her shirt together, looking away. She pulled herself to her feet, stepping lightly around the frozen Nathan with her head bowed apologetically.

"I'm sorry. I'll explain...but please, get help."

Nathan snapped back, awakening to the situation around him. He drew out his phone and slid it open, speed dialling the station direct.

"Yeah, hello?" he boomed into the receiver as he stood up and paced forward, careful not to spoil the evidence. "Detective Evans here. I need four ambulances and a patrol to secure a crime scene..." He proceeded to give the details as Naoto moved over to where two bodies lay.

She felt a lump in her throat, seeing the blood pooling around him, his body twisted towards the shattered glass door. Upon his back was a large tear, blood staining the fabric of his grey jacket.

"Souji?" She whispered, kneeling, suppressing the urge to cry.

After all that...

She looked away, blinking back the tears furiously.

After all that...

She gritted her teeth, hands clenching, causing a sharp stab of pain from the wound on her neck. She pressed harder, trying to impede the bleeding.

A coat was draped around her shoulders as Nathan crouched beside her.

"They'll be here soon." He murmured, stepping forward to tend to the body.

She pulled the jacket tight gratefully, watching silently as Nathan turned Souji over onto his back. His face cast in a grim mask, puckering his lips, frowning. He turned, glancing down towards the feet, then heaved a heavy sigh before moving away to tend to the fallen secretary.

Naoto's heart plummeted.

She bit back a sob.

She slumped, shoulders silently shaking, pulling the lapels of her jacket up to hide her face.

After all that...

A gentle brush against her fringe caught her breath in the back of her throat.

She looked up, her tear stained face forming an expression of disbelief.

"Hey... Surprise," came the words from lips pulled in a cheeky grin. Souji, eyes wide open, was grinning like it was the funniest joke in the world.

A snort came from behind where Nathan had moved to tend to the man he shot. "He got you." he chortled, suppressing the urge to laugh outright.

Naoto stared in shock, unable to comprehend what had happened.

Her eyes drew downwards to see the sprawled body of Michael Teav. The bullet had drilled cleanly through his upper chest cavity, tearing through his internal jugular vein, bleeding him into unconsciousness within seconds, followed by death not long after.

He was so much taller than Souji...who only reached to about his shoulders...

Slowly she realised Souji was lying much further away than where he first fell right behind Teav...literally pinned...

She saw bloody handprints clawed into the carpet, clear evidence that he had tried to drag himself from under there... Moving fast and desperately...

He dragged himself all the way up here...to play dead?

But...Saito would have noticed the prints...

He would have finished him after he killed her.

He would have...

Then it hit her.

He only relaxed after all was over.

He was playing with her.

A cruel, cruel joke.

Outrage coloured her eyes as surprise fled her face. She grabbed fistfuls of his collar as he pulled himself upright. She glared at him, mouth opening and closing but no sounds coming out. Her rage tied her tongue.

His mirthful eyes softened. He reached forward, drawing his left hand around behind her, pulling her close to embrace her.

Her eyes widened as her anger fled her face. Surprise took hold of her once more.

Then, slowly, she encircled her arms around him and pulled him even closer.

She closed her eyes as her emotions calmed.

With fury, confusion, and terror having all been laid to rest, only relief remained.

* * *

><p>AN: I'm currently spazzing at the computer waiting for the Naoto cliffhanger to resolve in the anime. I guess this is my divine punishment from the gods of gaming.

Kharta has created a dojinshi for this fanfiction. The first chapter is up. Link in my profile.

A thank you to my Beta reader and video game reviewer Jahan. If anyone is into video games take a look at his reviews on the PALGN site. Needless to say he did the Persona 4 review. Find the link to the persona 4 review on my profile page.

Another thank you to my second Beta reader Bukala who not only has edited my fanfic for a smoother read but has graciously agreed to use his time to tutor me on how to fine-tune my writing skills. Not every fanfic writer gets such an opportunity to learn.

Cultural Trivia: Just case any Australians or other non-Americans were thrown off by the notion of Naoto being a detective before high school. Japan, like America, follows a system of having a 3 year middle school and 3 year high school, rather than lumping it together to get it done in one go like in Australia.

Disclaimer: I do not own Persona. If I did the scene where Naoto asks to walk with under your umbrella wouldn't have been cut out of the English release!

Next update 17th of February:

Fortune Repaired: To Begin Anew

_The wheel entangles the bonds that tore, _

_Fate and fortune meet once more._


	21. Fortune Repaired: To Begin Anew

Fate or Fortune

Fortune Repaired: To Begin Anew

_The wheel entangles the bonds that tore, _

_Fate and fortune meet once more._

**Sunday, March 26****th**** 2017 **

**San Diego; USA**

The sounds of the busy airport bustled dully in the background. Naoto sat silently across from a cheerful, casually dressed Caucasian man who wore, in direct contrast to her formal attire, a t-shirt and cargo shorts.

They sat at a cafe, not far from the entrance, awaiting the boarding call for the flight to Tokyo Narita Airport.

Things had been hectic, causing this to be the first real meeting between the two for the first time in two days since after...

Nathan cleared his throat, and gave an awkward grimace. "Uhh... I tried to get back your watch...but they need both for evidence."

"That's ok. You didn't have to." She said with a grateful smile. She hadn't asked him to try but she had suspected he probably would anyway.

She had watched with a heavy heart as the tokens, both the watches and the pen, were claimed as evidence. She knew they would not be able to use the watches as evidence in anyway but did not expect them to agree to its return...

It figured Nathan would try to persuade them...and no mystery that they refused.

The pen at least had physical relevance. It was required as evidence to prove Souji had not dealt the killing blow against Teav. This would be done by proving he had in fact crippled the gun by using the blood and leather fibres left encrusted on the blade, with the slash marks upon the trigger where it had been violently lodged, as well as the fingerprints upon the ebon grip.

However the watch wouldn't be able to prove anything.

It was a pity...

But...

No, she thought. Maybe it's better this way.

It wasn't like she could return Souji's half to him...

...Considering what they meant.

Naoto brooded silently, her thoughts eating at her.

Nathan noticed, and frowned, but internally shrugged noting it wasn't any of his business.

There had been a heavy atmosphere between them due to a number of reasons...the biggest being outlined by the thick padding of gauze taped across Naoto's slender neck...and by the injuries not visible.

Physical and otherwise.

He couldn't help noticing her change in demeanour...her increased tension...her silent anxiety...

But that was not his place to speak of.

Instead he puckered up, putting on a happy grin, trying his best to be the most cheerful bright spark he could be.

Casting his mind around for a quirky topic to break the tense atmosphere, he exclaimed, "Oh right! You're a girl now! How did that happen?" He gave a wide grin, stirring a wooden Popsicle stick through his heavily sugared latte, hoping to inject a ray of sunshine into proceedings.

Naoto didn't smile, instead she looked almost ashamed. "Yes..." She pressed her hands to her knees as she sat bowing her head. "I am sorry. My deception...was not... It was not intended against you."

Nathan waved it off, flecking bits of foam from the stick held in his hand. "No big deal. It doesn't change things at all. My crush is still just as pathetic."

Naoto looked up in surprise, shocked by his directness.

Americans...are not at all shy...

"I...umm...thought you...were the open-minded kind." She mumbled, unsure as to what the polite English term was.

Nathan nodded, lips puckered in a muse. "Open-minded, yes. Gay? No." He grinned, as if revealing the punch line of a great joke. "Gays aren't open-minded. They're just closed minded in the opposite direction." He winked with a grin. "I personally don't have anything against men or women."

Naoto elicited a small "Oh..." surprised. Americans really aren't shy at all.

"Besides!" Nathan said with a beaming grin. "Seriously you don't have much chance with an actual gay-gay man. They don't usually go for the girly guys. You actually have a better shot at confusing straight men and...girls of all sorts." His smile seemed to draw wider at those words.

Naoto looked away uncomfortably, clearing her throat. This was not the kind of conversation she wanted to have at a cafe in a public airport. She awkwardly knocked her heel against the suitcase rested at her feet which now had more bulk than it did when she'd first arrived.

That was what happened when she packed her own luggage. She didn't have Yakushiji's talent for space conservation.

"...Do you really have to go today?" Nathan muttered after a moment of silence.

Naoto nodded with a small smile on her lips. "My Visa has expired, so I have to leave."

"Yeah but...you still got eight days...and they're willing to amend your contract." Nathan waved his hands about in a confusing gesture. "There's still a case to prosecute and they've really wizened up to the fact you knew what you were talking about."

"Regardless..." Naoto shook her head, the motion sending a jolt of pain to the injury upon her neck.

The angle of the bullet graze was incredibly lucky. It had managed to miss hitting her carotid artery, which could have been quite a bit trickier to recover from. All she needed was stitches, to press the edges wound together and encourage healing. The suture work was above par, promising her that the scar would heal to no more than a faded white line across the side of her neck, something easily hidden...

But not today.

She wore her collar low and unadorned, letting the gauze sit starkly upon her form.

She just couldn't bring herself to lace it up.

The feeling of the pressure bound upon her neck...

She paled, suppressing a shiver.

"Can't you stay until you've wrapped up the case?" Nathan moaned, bringing Naoto gratefully out of her abstraction. "Isn't that part of your detective's code or something? Leave no case unfinished?"

"...I believe you can finish it." Naoto answered with a forced smile, before glancing away taking a sip from her coffee.

"Me? Come on. Some idiot newbie?" He whined, but grinning widely none-the-less. "I would have thought the great Detective Shirogane would want to close it herself."

Naoto shook her head and glanced away. "No... Your case would go a lot smoother without me. My presence is already ammunition against the case. It will be worse if I stay."

"Aww come on. That little thing won't affect the outcome at all! Seriously, you worry-"

"No." Naoto held her hand up in a small gesture of silence, bowing her head. "Every measure it takes to bring that man down... I need him... to disappear..." She gritted her teeth. "By the means of law..."

Nathan's smile faded, looking away awkwardly to give the small detective time to compose herself.

Taketo Saito had survived his operation, plugging the gunshot wound perforating his lung. He was currently in hospital under strict police watch, still unconscious, but stable. It was good news for the department, they had someone to trial.

But not for Naoto...

Nathan could understand why.

He was at the hospital where they took both Naoto and the ex-suspect Souji Seta. The doctors had rolled the young man straight to surgery to deal with the gunshot injury upon his back, which strangely enough had resembled a bad wound after months of healing.

But Naoto...

She had insisted she was fine, and attempted to leave the moment the stitches were put in place. However they had forced her to stay to check up for broken bones or internal injuries. She had suffered heavy bruising around the abdomen, and that was what worried them... It was what worried Nathan.

But she refused to say how it happened.

Instead Nathan had to find out when he returned to the station the next morning to file his reports. He found out through reading the statement another officer had taken from her...

That bastard...

He shouldn't have saved him.

That was his first thoughts as he read the report, regretting bitterly his quick application of first aid upon the man he had shot.

He'd rolled the man to his side and with a square of plastic candy wrapper and a roll of masking tape he had taped three of the four sides around the wound. This had assisted the man in breathing by plugging the leak as he breathed in, then allowing the blood to drain from the lung cavity as he breathed out.

It was Nathan's quick actions that had saved the man's life.

He was commended on it...

But he regretted it.

Because of what he'd done the department had a man to trial...and Naoto could not rest easy.

That was probably why she didn't want to stay any longer.

"Rest assured..." Nathan turned back, smile set on his face again, his teeth bared in determination. "I'll bring him down. I promised you before! I don't intend to back down on it!"

Naoto looked up, smiling gratefully once more. "Thank you..." She paused, as if struck by a thought, before pulling her notepad from her jacket pocket and offering it to Nathan. "It's not much but it's every note I've taken since this case began. I've added some more too while I was hospitalised." She gave a grim smile. That hospital, like many others would, went out of its way to accommodate the enforcers of the law. She ended up being held there for the entire night and half of the day after.

Nathan accepted it, turning through it with a smile. "It's in English..."

"I thought it would be easier for me to take notes in the language of the client I'm working for... in case something like this happened."

In case she had to leave it to a rookie half way?

No, she meant if she got killed...

The tall detective sighed, running his fingers down his smooth chin, good humour dissipating. "I'll still have to convince Peterman to listen to me... some no-cred rookie."

Naoto nodded with a wry smile. "Then establish to him that you know what you're talking about. Put together the motive, find the evidence to prove the kidnappings and as much proof as you can find that Teav had been but an accomplice, that Saito was the mastermind."

Nathan nodded, understanding. "Because we can't get him on the actual killing."

Naoto nodded grimly, recognising what a long shot it would be.

...Just establishing the motive was a long shot...

"Alright, well I've already started."

Naoto glanced up in surprise, seeing Nathan's grin of satisfaction.

"Forensics came back on the fibres on the envelope glue. Match to Teav's leather gloves."

Naoto nodded. She had a feeling it probably was, but the defence would likely argue that it could be anybody who owned the same type of glove from the same manufacturer.

"But that's not all. Don't look so glum, chum." Nathan continued, grin only getting wider. "We got his DNA."

Naoto gave a start of surprise. DNA?

"It appears our man Teav was fond of blowing into his envelopes. His saliva vapour residue was all over the inside."

Naoto gave a smile. DNA. That was decisive. Exceedingly decisive.

But that only established Teav was involved.

"That's not all. You'll love me for this." He winked. "I just made a request for the taxation office to send over the claims lodged by Mr Saito from seven years ago."

A grin broke across Naoto's lips. "...To establish he was in Japan that year on business."

"And since fuel is a covered business claim..."

"You'll find the receipt of his purchase in Inaba! Establishing without a shadow of a doubt he was there on that day!"

"Giving us the clear shot of the motive." Nathan nodded, and then shrugged. "At least that's what I hope... There's always the possibility he decided against lodging that claim for fears he would get caught."

But Naoto didn't stop smiling. "But, Detective, that just means you should look for all the fuel receipts he entered from Japan. You establish a timeline of his travels, using the dates of purchase printed on the dockets, to track his travels. If he passed through Inaba, there would be a wide gap between fuel purchases, from cities of a plausible distance. And then you employ a statistician to calculate how high the probability was that the missing purchase was from Inaba by using the fuel capacity and estimated mileage as well as the time period it would have taken place."

Nathan's eyes widened, nodding slowly with his teeth bared in stunned delight. "That's brilliant! Damn! Learn from the master."

"But nowhere as decisive as the actual docket itself..." Naoto relented. "But I must admit your initiative warrants merit." She shook her head with a knowing smile. "You're not just a newbie."

"Gee, I'm super flattered." Nathan rubbed the back of his head, grinning like a fool.

The young detective's smile faded as she considered the rest of what they had. "All we really can establish between the victims and the perpetrator was that he was vaguely in contact with all three, with Sanders being our strongest link. Even then we don't know where and exactly when he was taken."

Nathan nodded, slumped against his chair, drawing his hand across his chin as his mind hit the wall. "With only motive we have a sloppy case..."

The PA sounded suddenly, causing Naoto to start, turning upwards to stare at the source with a racing pulse. She slowly calmed as the announcement played itself out, stating that a flight had just arrived in terminal two...

The tense detective internally shook herself, glancing to the clock on the digital display board in the pretence that she was concerned about the time of embarking. Her American counterpart was not at all fooled but knew better than to say anything. He turned away, giving her a moment to compose herself, pretending to be interested in a trolley that was rolling past.

Naoto pulled herself together, grateful for the moment, before finally speaking again. "...I would look within the initial place of disappearance for all of them...to find the evidence."

Nathan slowly turned back nodding. "For Detective Ramsey that'd be the Executive's office...but teams have already combed it. Whatever we can get should already be gotten."

Naoto, still a little pale, nodded slowly, mind pulling together some ideas. "Did they check under the victim's nails?"

Nathan shrugged. "That's pathology work. I would have to assume so since they should know what they're doing."

"Have them check again." Naoto said pressing a thin smile. "This time ask them to look for traces...more specifically the same type of plastic scraped off that television."

A light bulb clicked on at the back of Nathan's skull. "You think those furrows belonged to him?"

"Well it wasn't the secretary's." The young detective answered with a meek smile.

"Alright. I'll bring that suggestion back to Peterman." He gave a sharp nodd. "And while I'm at it I'll ask him to authorise a search of the University staffroom." He winked as he said, "Like we originally planned remember?"

Naoto nodded, smiling. He was going to do just fine.

"That being said..." Nathan's smile faded. "We still got no clue where the boy disappeared."

Opening her mouth to answer she startled, turning quickly in her seat as several noisy people walked past, wheeling their baggage.

They were just the disembarking passengers, Naoto told herself, calming her suddenly rapid heartbeat. This is what they get for patronising the cafe by the airport exit.

Nathan waited patiently for Naoto to turn her attention back to him. Her gaze turned distant as she stared outward, brows furrowed, then quickly blinked, turning back, finally remembering Nathan was there.

"Sorry..." She murmured, looking miserable.

"It's alright." Nathan smiled reassuringly. "Take it easy."

The edgy detective shot him a thankful smile, then dropped her eyes to her coffee which sat cold on the table.

"...I would follow up on questioning his friends and family..." She said after a few seconds. "Find out where he goes when he truants."

Nathan nodded. "I suppose that's the best we can do...but hey. We'll at least get him for two hits, that bullet hole in his accomplice, and attempted murder." He gave a pause, glancing sheepishly at the oppressively silent Naoto. "...However," he continued, trying to distract away from his thoughtless words, "if we get him for Ramsey's... If we stick that one, we'll secure him Life..." He paused, then grinned savagely. "Or even better, Death."

Naoto glanced at him, slightly surprised, but said nothing.

"Oh? Shirogane. Is that you?" A voice sounded close to her ear, causing her to flinch horribly. Nathan glanced up surprised, apparently not noticing the approach of this new arrival either among the torrent of others.

"It is you." The greying man uttered, stepping around the table to get a better look at her face.

Naoto drew her eyes up, trying her best to hide her startled expression. "Detective Dojima. This is a surprise." She responded with a genuine smile, but her voice still quivered from the shock.

Nathan glanced between the two, confused by the sudden change in language. The new acquaintance was obviously Japanese...and seemed to be a familiar figure to the young detective.

The older grizzled man frowned, speaking in their quick rhythmic language to which Naoto responded with a few words and a polite shake of her head. He indicated her neck with a question but she turned away, apparently parrying the question. However, then she proceeded to say something that caused the older man to double-take, astonishment plastered upon his face. They exchanged a few more words before Naoto finally seemed to acknowledge the person here that didn't belong to their lingual club.

Naoto quickly gestured to Nathan when she spoke again, his name sounding distinct in that sentence, before switching back to English, a formal tone in her voice. "Detective Evans. I would like to introduce you to Ryotaro Dojima, Detective Chief of Inaba Police."

Nathan stood up immediately, extending his hand in a welcome that was taken in by the older man's grasp for a firm shake. "It's nice to meet you." He said sincerely, to which Dojima simply smiled politely.

"He has a vested interest concerning the case..." Naoto continued, trailing off.

The American cocked an eyebrow, an incredulous grin plastered on his face. "He...does realise it's gonna be a year before we actually get this into court, right?"

Naoto gave a thin grimace. "Actually. Dojima-san didn't even know we caught the perpetrator." She gave a relenting smile. "And I know I'm not supposed to tell him before police releases the details to the media."

"Oh that? Pfft." Nathan made a dismissive gesture. "Tell him if he's interested. It's not like he'll able to tell anyone else. He can't speak in English, and he doesn't look like a master of social networking."

Naoto frowned slightly disapprovingly at Nathan's lax attitude to his work but relented with a smiling sigh. "No... That is not what I meant." She continued, smile fading. "His wife was the victim in the hit and run case in Japan. He came hoping to hear the details from police as one of the victim's family."

Nathan's cheerful smile dropped into an 'o', before becoming uncomfortably quiet.

"He says he is to stay with his sister... Mrs Seta. He is Souji's uncle." Naoto continued. "Mrs Seta had agreed to the impromptu visit because Souji was missing and wanted there to be someone at home to wait for him. But since finding Souji-"

"The...agreement was nulled?" Nathan frowned, feeling like he had completely misunderstood Japanese hospitality.

"No. Nothing like that." Naoto quickly amended. "Dojima-san simply wishes to first see his nephew. He had been worried since hearing about his disappearance."

Nathan considered this, then slowly his face dropped, all traces of his peppiness instantly dissipated. "So you want me to take him to the hospital?"

"I'm sorry to ask this of you on your day off... I would be grateful if you would." She said as she bowed her head.

"But...I'll be leaving you by yourself...and it's over an hour till your flight."

Naoto nodded, giving him a tight smile. "I will have to check in an hour before boarding. This is as good a time to say goodbye as any."

Nathan's lips drew tight as the small detective pulled herself up to her full unimpressive standing height, extending her hand. "It was a pleasure working with you, Detective Evans."

He took one look at her tiny hand, and pulled himself to his feet, taking it in his massive palm. Then, with a sudden jerk he pulled her forward, catching her in a bear hug.

"Damn it, we're off duty now, Naoto." He warbled, close to crying. "At least say goodbye the proper way."

Naoto patted his back awkwardly, a little embarrassed but appreciative none the less.

"You're right." She said with a heavy heart as they parted. "Then goodbye, Nathan. You have been a true friend." She smiled a genuine smile. "I expect to hear great things about you."

* * *

><p>The television droned pointlessly at the foot of the hospital bed, showing a rerun of some show that was too low rated to be rerun on primetime. So it was true. There really was nothing good on during daytime.<p>

Souji heaved a heavy sigh, wincing hard as his motion strained the stitches upon his back. The operation had been completed long before dawn of the day before, not without complications. As it turned out his attempt at patch job first aid using Diarahan had not only stopped the bleeding but accelerated healing by several weeks as such that a layer of new flesh grew over the bullet still lodged in his shoulder blade and made life slightly harder for the surgeon.

Well...things were fine now.

Souji had wanted to keep the bullet, but instead the police collected it for evidence.

Well...fair enough.

Maybe he could get it back after the court case ended...which if current murder trials were any indication would be many years later.

Souji shifted gingerly on his mattress, reaching for the remote on his bedside table.

He felt little annoyed that he was still in the hospital. There was only one thing wrong with him and the doctors fixed it. He should have been sent home the moment the anaesthetics wore off, which was the afternoon of the day prior.

Well he could understand why they were holding him for observations...

The product of that healing spell was probably something they'd never encountered before.

They'd literally had to slice off the healed flesh before stitching him up.

Whenever the lab results returned, he suspected he'd be making the headers of a few medical journals.

After flicking through ten channels, most of them sports, none of them basketball, he shut the set off and carefully leaned back with a sigh.

Nobody had visited him since he'd woken up, apart from a handful of nurses and a doctor, and a couple of police officers, but they were legally obliged to do so.

He knew his parents weren't going to visit him. No, they likely went straight back to work the moment they heard he got out of surgery alive.

He could hardly blame them. The company must've been a mess then, and if they played their cards right they might secured the top position...or at least worked their way into the favour of whoever got it.

No, it wasn't their visit he was counting on.

When he first awakened from his anaesthesia haze, after he got his bearings, the first person he had asked for was Naoto.

He wanted to talk to her, to make sure she was alright. He didn't see everything that happened, but the state he saw her in...

He regretted not being able to reach her sooner.

He regretted putting her in that situation to begin with.

It was his mistake.

He had thought that, since he was so adept at persona-based combat, he could risk challenging Saito to a one-on-one fight. He might win if he got in the first strike using only his casting abilities, and subsequently by not taking too many hits.

He had to admit that he came to this decision because he refused to be ousted by this criminal.

Because he had been too proud to go running to Naoto...

Because he had tried to move on... thinking she would too...

Because he had so rashly decided all those years ago that she should be given the chance...

Because...he knew now...had he asked her to wait she would have done so gladly...

Had he known...

No... Had he even asked her...

He was ashamed.

He felt that he had no right to rely on her.

And yet again his pride failed him...

His grievous error of judgement nearly costing him everything.

* * *

><p>When he stepped forth to confront Saito, he found himself face to face with Teav. At that point it did not immediately click to him that this man was an accomplice.<p>

He stupidly approached him, asking what he was doing there.

The tall secretary simply turned his gun on him, demanding that Souji remove his wristwatch and divulge knowledge of 'others like him.'

It clicked to him then...Not only was Teav an accomplice...but Saito had not left.

In his blind sprint from the company building, Souji had neglected to notice the second person being set loose into the world.

He was not only unarmed, but outnumbered as well.

And the idea to attack and dispatch Teav there and then never occurred to him.

Instead he ran for it.

He took a gamble and screwed up.

This man was not a victim at all.

He was one of the perpetrators, and he had alarmingly good aim.

Outnumbered, all Souji could do was commit to a mad dash straight for the police station, being shot at along the way.

By the time he entered the building he had burnt off half his energy simply healing himself and fortifying his defence.

His watch clicked together with hers with a sharp shrill as he ducked into the building, hiding behind the wall as a shot spiralled through the door-less opening, splintering upon the inside wall without a mark.

Souji glanced quickly to his watch, seeing the distance change, knowing Naoto was approaching but unsure from which direction, and he was too busy to actively find out.

He camped at the doorway, slinging out low level zio spells in hope to dissuade his pursuers from entering. Each time he cast, his persona materialised very visibly, giving away his position and alerting his enemies to danger.

The two pursuers ducked into buildings opposite, taking cover from him as they hemmed him down, one with a shot that hurt more, the other with a shot that hit more.

Souji had slipped around the hollow door and windows, trying to appear from different angles as he retaliated to decrease his likelihood of being hit.

He knew from watching Naoto fight in the past that although she technically fired her gun at opponents, the bullets never left the chamber. She would always check after every battle to confirm that five out of six chambers were loaded, exactly the same as before the encounter.

If battle physics held true to form as they did then...

Then he was fighting a stalling battle. Their ammo might be limitless but his energy was not.

It was as those grim thoughts passed his mind did the loud clatter echo through the hall, sound strikingly different from the gunshots.

It came from down the corridor...

Souji glanced to his watch, realising Naoto was not as far as she was before.

That was likely her making that noise...

Which meant a portal to the other side!

Souji flung one last zio before making his break for it.

He sprinted down that corridor, turning into the first room he reached.

He stopped dead in his tracks, heart plummeting to his shoes.

The portals...were those tiny computer monitors...

He should have remembered.

He quickly checked his watch, confirming Naoto's location before seeing the distinctive shape of that pen on the floor.

He darted forward, grabbing it, unsheathing it, arming himself with the letter opener. It wasn't much but it could be used as a weapon.

However, as the cap came off a roll of cloth slid out from around the blade.

Souji looked upon it quizzically as it unfurled and he saw the faded writing upon the fabric.

'Sandy Charlton is missing.'

...What?

Missing...?

Wait, no...

There couldn't be another person inside this world.

She couldn't have possibly been pulled inside while those two was chasing him, and he was adamantly certain there was nobody in here before they had entered.

Did she think they were after Sandy?

No.

They were after him. They wanted to get rid of him.

...and they wanted his watch.

...and the knowledge of other Persona users...

Souji realised with a thrill at that moment-

They would go after Naoto.

No...

He broke out in a cold sweat, clicking the cap back onto the pen, dashing straight for the screen shouting at the top of his lungs.

"Naoto! They're after-!"

A bullet smacked into the back of his head, cutting his words short, causing him to stumble as his knee-jerk reaction unbalanced him.

Centring himself quickly upon the balls of his feet, Souji turned and sprinted blindly to the door, barrelling into the man attempting to block his passage, barely registering it was the tall secretary before slamming him against the wall and sprinting down deeper into the empty precinct.

He felt another bullet whizz by; fairly certain it was not sent by the man he'd just flattened into the wall. It likely was fired by the executive who entered the building as well.

A chase then followed, with him trying to shake off his pursuers as he wove out of the building and into the closest domestic residence he could find, and he was gunned down there.

As he lay in his pooling blood he slid his eyes shut, leaving a small crack to watch discretely while relaxing his body, letting his lungs deflate naturally.

He felt a touch upon his wrist, as his watch was removed, and tensed awkwardly as the individual proceeded to remove his wallet, then discarded it without another thought.

Before Souji could completely get his mind around what was happening he felt himself being hoisted up, someone's arms hooked under his, dragging him.

He forced himself to hang limp as pain jolted through his body with every motion.

He felt himself pushed up against a table, feeling the familiar sensation of sliding through the screen, before landing heavily on the other side once more.

He kept his eyes clamped shut, as he waited, but nobody entered in after him...

And eventually the remaining presence disappeared too.

By that time Souji had bled to the point he could barely tell what was happening anymore.

He struggled to his side, feeling the searing pain as he moved, seeing his blood soaking the unnaturally lit carpet around where he lain.

He extended his hand, willing his persona to respond.

He saw a dull glow in his palm, unsure if that was a persona card or delirium.

Then all went dark.

But he knew now... that Norn had heard him.

He had lived...

Souji grimaced a little cynically. Of course he'd lived. Otherwise he wouldn't be trapped in the hospital right now.

He was incredibly lucky that they had not known he was alive, or they had but done nothing about it. How were they to know he had the power of healing? That he had the Persona born from the bond he and Naoto shared.

He shifted uncomfortably again, pain tweaking along his back at the memory.

He regretted it...

All of it...

Not just his recent stupidity...

...But...also...for what happened between him and the girl he once held most dear.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Thud thud<strong>_

Souji was jolted out of his thoughts as heavy knocks rang out against his door.

"Come in." He called, expecting it to be a doctor or nurse.

He definitely didn't expect who it actually was.

"Uncle?" Souji gasped as Dojima entered with a kind smile for his young nephew.

"Ah... Why is it every time something happens you're always right in the middle of it?" Dojima asked with a shake of his head as he sat himself down in the chair by the bed, still smiling in contrast with his lecturing tone.

"I missed you too, Uncle." He returned the smile. "How's Nanako-chan? Is she with you?"

Dojima shook his head. "No, I left her with the Amagis. She's twelve now, started middle school last year." He paused, smiling a little sadly. "She still misses her brother."

Souji dropped his eyes, feeling awkward. "I miss her too. I miss a lot of things about Japan...about Inaba."

"One of which being Shirogane?"

Souji jerked up in a start, then gritted his teeth and groaned as his stitches strained painfully with that sudden movement.

"I saw her at the airport." Dojima continued, not giving his nephew any time to recover from his affliction. "She did not look well."

"I wouldn't doubt it..." Souji answered through gritted teeth, feeling the pain ebb away once more to an unnatural numb throbbing.

Figures.

She'd left.

Here he was, hoping she'd come and visit, and all the while she was leaving without a word.

Well...he couldn't say he didn't deserve the cold shoulder.

"What happened?" Dojima pressed. "Last I heard you were still missing and Shirogane was handling the case."

Souji grimaced darkly, giving a slow emphasised shrug. "Well the good news is we caught the man responsible. Just two nights ago..." He let his words sit as astonishment lit behind the eyes of his uncle.

"Well, that is good news." Dojima said with a distant smile, one which slowly faded as he continued. "But the way you presented that tells me there is bad news."

Souji gave a half hearted shrug and lapsed into silence.

The concerned uncle tried again, taking a stab in the dark. "Is something wrong between you and Shirogane?"

With snort Souji shook his head. "Uncle, it's been over for years."

Dojima didn't look surprised, instead he watched his nephew silently, waiting for him to continue. When he didn't he pressed again.

"...Then, nephew... Why do you look so guilty?"

Souji paused, momentarily surprised, and then sighed under his breath. He should know better by now than to expect a detective to not pry.

"...I made mistakes..." Souji grimaced humourlessly. "They've cost me a lot... Not just me..."

If only he hadn't confronted them...

He wouldn't have been shot.

He wouldn't have fallen unconscious.

He would have reached her sooner.

Souji pressed his fingers to his temples, gritting his teeth.

It didn't matter that if he hadn't stopped he wouldn't have known they would go after her... He probably would have figured it out eventually.

It didn't matter that if he'd reached Naoto he would have been arrested... She would have at least been safe...

She would have at least been warned.

Maybe...

Instead he'd arrived, just in time to see her dragged onto the balcony against her will.

He'd watched the accomplice press his gun into the back of her head.

Clammy and light headed, he had fumbled for a weapon and drawn out the only thing he still had on him: The pen he had once gifted to her.

Unsheathing the blade, he'd shoved the observing executive out of the way, dashed straight for the gunman.

He'd watched the finger pull down on the trigger, impossibly slowly.

With a sharp intake of breath he'd hooked the blade around, plunging it through the leather glove and into the fleshy back of the man's hand, jamming it behind the trigger.

He'd saved her life, but he didn't feel like that was how it resolved.

If he had arrived sooner, maybe this could have all been avoided...

Dojima watched silently as his nephew sunk into a brooding silence. Face set into a sullen glower, he had seen his kind of expression all too often before.

"Is that why you're in the hospital?"

Souji gave a casual shrug which told the experienced detective more than he probably intended.

It wasn't his own injuries that bothered him.

"Is that why Shirogane appears to be so distressed?"

Souji's expression darkened. After a few moments, Dojima realised Souji wasn't going to say anything more and tried another tactic. "...So how did you two end up separating?"

Hunching over he didn't answer; he simply sunk into a deeper subdue.

"...Am I to understand moving to America had something to do with it?"

He looked away.

"...Was the decision not mutual?"

"It wasn't." Souji finally relented, glaring down at his blanket. "I ended it."

Dojima was momentarily silent. "...From your demeanour I would have never guessed that was the case."

"You thought she dumped me?" Souji glanced up with a half-hearted crooked smile. "I suppose she might have..."

"I'm afraid I do not quite understand the situation..." Dojima shook his head with a sigh. "If you chose to leave her...then why are you upset about it?"

Souji didn't answer, instead gave a shrug and dropped recklessly back into the pillow propped up behind him, gritting his teeth as pain shot up his back again.

"Was this the mistake you were speaking of?"

He glowered into silence once more.

When he had made that decision, he had done so thinking it was the best course for both of them. It would have been selfish of him to make her wait.

... And...

What then?

Would she have thought the wait was worth it?

In the year they were together...they only actually saw each other for less than half that.

And to wait four years more...

She was beautiful, intelligent, gifted, unique... Blessed with so much fortune.

She had options, and if he couldn't keep his promises to her...then he couldn't be one of them.

But now...he knew...

It wasn't his choice to make alone.

...It really was his mistake.

Things might have been so different...if he'd simply asked her.

He might be in Japan already.

She would not have had to suffer...

But then...the man sitting before him right now might never have had a conclusion to his tragedy.

Souji buried his face in his hands and laughed. A low mournful sound.

"It really was fate wasn't it?" he muttered under his breath.

If he'd known back then what he knew now...

If he'd known...

What would he have chosen?

"There's no such thing."

Souji glanced up.

"There is no such thing as fate." Dojima splayed his hands before him. "There are only the choices you make, your mistakes and regrets... But in the end, you can't change what was done." He paused, a kindly smile on his face. "All you can do is keep trying...and hope that fortune smiles upon your efforts."

Souji shook his head, smiling grimly.

Fortune, huh?

"I didn't think you'd be the one to believe in luck, Uncle." Souji muttered with a drawn grimace.

Dojima paused with a frown. "No... I suppose I'm not."

"And yet you're telling me to try to patch things up and hope that I get lucky." Souji sneered darkly. "I would have to be incredibly lucky indeed. Naoto is not some foolish romantic. I hurt her badly. She's too smart to be burned twice."

Dojima heaved a sigh, running his hand through his short cropped hair. He sat in silence for a few moments, before finally shrugging. "Whatever you may think...I believe one thing..." He slowly leaned back in his chair with a distant expression. "You will regret it forever if you never try." He shook his head, echoing sadness within his eyes. "The words you never said to her..."

_Regret it forever..._

Souji bowed his head, unable to think of anything to say.

Regret...?

He really would.

If he tried again, what would he risk? His pride?

Such a worthless embargo.

A wager like that for such a priceless thing...

Souji sighed, leaning back against the pillow once more, smacking his head gently against the headboard.

"...Uncle..." He muttered. "...Thank you." He smiled as his eyes stared distantly at the ceiling. "We had never wanted you to find out about us, and for the longest time we could only remember that day with embarrassment." The melancholic youth shook his head with a gentle smile. "...But right now, all I can feel is gratitude." A chuckle escaped him as he said, "That you would be sitting here today talking me out of my foolishness... It truly was a blessing."

* * *

><p>As her pulse settled, Naoto let out an exasperated sigh.<p>

"Come in." She called, irritated at the sensitivity of her jumping nerves as she turned in her seat.

In an instant response to her summons, Yakushiji pushed the door open smoothly.

"Naoto-sama," he spoke in his smooth, emotionally neutral voice, "you have a letter." In his upturned hand he held a single plain envelope, thin and unadorned. "No name is written above the return address but judging from the postcode it is from America's California."

Naoto's eyebrows shot up as she stood from her seat.

America?

Did Peterman decide to press charges?

A sliver of dread slid into her chest.

No... Wait...

If it were official charges she wouldn't be receiving it in an unnamed letter.

"Thank you, Yakushiji-san." Naoto accepted it, dismissing the older man who bowed and left without another word.

Yakushiji, her grandfather's secretary, was concerned about her. Yet she had no wish to speak of what happened.

Since coming home to the estate just over three weeks ago Naoto had been greeted by a household of worried staff. She really didn't expect otherwise. In a detective's household she couldn't expect the staff to be ill informed.

News of her exploits had reached ears back home before state media even got a hold of it.

Even her grandfather had returned to see her, taking time off in the middle of a case to do so.

He'd tried to speak to her about it having come home to see her only a day after she had arrived. She had no idea how her grandfather was handling the news. She wondered if he was more ashamed by the fact she'd refused the renewal of her contract...

If he was, he hadn't voiced it.

Instead, he'd wanted to know if she was alright, if she wanted to speak to him about what happened.

She hadn't, and after two days her grandfather had left again, being unable to take any more time from his case, promising her the moment he was done he would come straight back.

It didn't matter.

Naoto didn't want to talk about it.

She went so far as to shut herself in her room, only coming to contact with Yakushiji, who brought her files from her grandfather's office, the doctor who came to remove the stitches, and the maids, who brought her meals and handled the cleaning detail. Naoto had exchanged no more than a few words with any of them.

She was being unreasonable she knew, but she just needed to be alone.

She didn't wish for anyone to see her so foolish and cowardly.

Naoto dropped herself heavily into her seat, listening hard for the click upon her door and the footsteps leading away.

She glanced at the letter in hand dispiritedly, curiosity only barely active. It couldn't be from Nathan. That energetic detective contacted her through email. Every other day she'd get one from him, updating her on progress. She'd emailed back a few times telling him it wasn't a good idea to send information of that nature though such an insecure network. Since her last warning Nathan had changed his tune, only sending messages of inconsequential nature-

Such as that of Peterman securing a promotion for the role he played in leading the case, and the fact that he, Nathan, was getting a commendation for the part he played in the arrest.

Naoto had to sigh a little at that...

Nathan couldn't seem to grasp how skewed the rewards were...compared to the actual accomplishments achieved.

It was like the man had no ambition.

But...in the end, that was part of his likable nature.

Naoto looked down, turning the envelope in her fingers, reading her name printed on the front in English.

In neat slanting handwriting.

Her eyes widened as the breath caught in her throat.

In a rush she tore the envelope open, ripping it into a mess, tipping out only one folded paper.

She froze.

Holding it aloft in her palm.

Slowly she slid her thumb under the edge, folding back, and pinching it as she allowed the rest of the letter to drop and unfurl.

She was right...

It was from him...

From Souji.

_I know I have no right to say this, and you have all the right in the world to ignore me. But please, read to the end of this letter before you discard it._

_I owe you an explanation, and an apology._

Naoto paused, frowning at the small elegant script, uncertain if this was not just some cruel prank.

Why now?

_I am sorry. For all of it. For never being clear with you._

_I never meant to hurt you._

_The day I ended what we had, it was not out of spite, or dissatisfaction, but shame._

_I couldn't keep all my promises._

_I thought- You could do better._

_I thought that I was giving you that chance._

_Tying you down for another four years. That did not seem fair._

_And if I asked. I knew you would oblige me, if not in earnest, then out of sheer politeness._

_I felt. That I was making a noble choice, giving you up._

_I am sorry._

_I was selfish from beginning till end._

_I am so sorry._

_But I have never forgotten you._

_I have tried to move on. No relationship ever lasted long. No feelings ever linger._

_There was something about you that was special. Unique._

_It was never pure physical attraction between us. That was what I felt._

_Your mind._

_Your heart._

_You were beautiful in every way._

_I used to brush your hair aside as you slept._

_You always looked so dazed when you woke. Then immediately indignant._

_That always made me smile._

_You are possibly wondering why I write this letter. Slow, cumbersome and inefficient._

_You would probably disapprove._

_The truth is, once, a long time ago, I had heard a story from someone._

_She had told me. A letter could convey more feeling than a hundred speeches._

_I hope that is true._

_For someone who will pride himself on being able to understand people I have never been able to convey myself well when it really mattered._

_That is why, I write this. Hoping my words will finally reach through. Hoping this old fountain pen would know what to do._

_In the end, what I am trying to say is._

_I love you._

_I never stopped loving you._

_I know I have no right to say this now. But if I don't I will always regret it._

_I don't mind what you make of this. Believe me or not. I just wanted you to know._

_Within four years I should have my PhD. Then I am returning to Japan._

_I hope to be able to gain a position at Tokyo University._

_Ironic I know. And many years too late. _

_Even so, I ask that you think about visiting me just once._

_Do not feel obligated to. I have long lost the right to make requests of you. I only hope that you will think about it._

_And maybe, if fortune smiles upon me, I would get a chance to try again._

_You may discard this letter, shred it, ignore it. I would not feel offended._

_Just know, I am sorry. And I love you._

_I truly love you._

A drop of tear fell upon those words, soaking through, causing the ink to run. Naoto wiped her eyes with her sleeve, unable to stop the flow.

She didn't know what to say.

She didn't know what to think.

She didn't know how to respond...

* * *

><p>Months had passed since the conclusion of the 'Bodies on the Rooftop' case.<p>

The media frenzy had long since settled and only the preparation for the court case was left.

Souji was to stand as a primary witness for the prosecutor, and had been preparing his testimony on top of his growing university workload.

He knew the case was not for another six to eight months but felt that he ought to get his facts straight the earlier the better, before he started forgetting.

He wanted to make sure there was no way the defence could find fault in his testimony- that he would be able to anticipate all possible questions that would be asked during cross examination and answer them all flawlessly.

He was glad for all the practice in his years of debating.

He would see that this ended and ended well.

He would assist that detective, the one who had been by Naoto's side throughout the entire ordeal.

They would close the case for her sake.

...No matter what she might think of him now.

It was over four months since he had sent her that letter...

...And she had not responded.

Fall had since descended upon the city. Already the rains had arrived.

The warm months seemed to be a lot shorter these recent years. Winter always started early.

On the other side of the world... Japan would be seeing a similar seasonal shift.

Would Naoto be watching the leaves turn now?

Would she be watching the leaves fall?

Or was it just him with such wistful thoughts, sitting at his desk, staring distantly out the window like a fool with all the time in the world?

Souji heaved a sigh and tore his eyes from the window to look distastefully down at the notebook in front of him. In those pages he had been short handing a list of responses for every cross-examination postulation possible. He had spent months on the list, going so far as to ask a few of his friends from the law department to assist him.

Souji rubbed his tired eyes but he couldn't rest now. If he wasn't going to study his responses then he would have to finish compiling the test data from the psychology department.

And that was an incredibly large sample...

Sighing again, he slid his roller chair down the table to his desktop, pressing the 'on' button as he parked comfortably in place.

He leant back in his chair, stretching his shoulders out, wincing slightly as the scar upon his back twinged. He was just about completely healed now with only a fine red scar sitting on his back. He had let time do the healing this time, not keen to risk it mutating into something weird through another Dia spell.

Eventually the red would fade as well, and the scar would become but a white edge upon his pale skin.

It wasn't that bad. In fact it was kind of cool. He was certainly going to attract attention at the beach.

Not that he'd have any time for the beach...

The computer stuttered on with a choking rasp as he entered his password, reminding him that he really should upgrade his system soon. It was already four years old and well past retirement.

His eyes briefly glanced over the email icon, noting with another dull twinge of disappointment that his inbox was yet again empty.

She wasn't going to answer.

He shouldn't be disappointed.

There were never any guarantees to begin with.

'Well,' he thought, 'might as well get back to work. There's an entire gigabyte of raw data to load then log, and I'm maybe a third of the way done.'

This was definitely the part of psychology he hated the most.

Souji suddenly perked up straight, straining his ears. He thought he heard the front gate open...

But... It was four pm.

His parents shouldn't have been back yet. In fact, his parents should have been doing overtime, brownnosing to the daughter of the late head of the Kirijo Group who had recently transferred over to temporarily fill the CEO position.

_**Ding dong**_

The doorbell echoed down the hall.

Souji picked himself up gingerly from his seat, grimacing as his legs slowly uncramped. He hobbled a few steps then strode quickly to the door. He stepped to the door and unchained it, pulling it open.

Slightly fatigued and greatly impatient, the mailman stood there, almost ready to turn around and leave. He pulled out a plastic stylus leashed to a touchpad. "Package for a Mr Souji Seta." He barked as he offered the pad. "Please sign."

Souji obliged and received a small bundled packet in return.

It felt light in his hand, strangely so.

He closed the door and stalked back to his room, turning the parcel around curiously.

He saw his name, printed in large blocky letters, his address detailed the same. All over it was stuck multiple stickers, displaying fragile and the highest order of insurance possible from Japan postal.

Whatever it was, it was valuable.

Souji wondered briefly who it could be from. He saw no sender.

It was unlikely to be from Uncle Dojima. He would usually call beforehand to warn them of a package coming their way.

His uncle had left months ago, barely staying a fortnight.

He'd returned home as soon as he could, despite his sister's insistence that he stay a while longer. In the end he'd simply explained that he was swamped with work, personally training a university graduated detective applicant. An enthusiastic and promising young lady, who happened to be an old friend of Souji's.

That might be the case but the truth was he had simply wanted to get back to his daughter, and visit her mother's grave together. To tell her she could finally rest in peace.

Souji had accompanied him to the police station, acting as a translator as they'd asked for the details as a relative of one of the victims.

His uncle had left, finally at peace.

Souji had to make sure he stayed that way. It was another reason to bring this case to a conclusion. For his uncle...and for her...

...Could this package be from her?

Could it be from Naoto?

Souji balanced it upon his hand, hardly daring to believe.

As the weight became suddenly familiar...

He tore it open, littering uncaringly onto his meticulously cleared floor.

His breath caught in his throat as he choked a gasp.

From the package, resting upon his palm, was a watch.

It glimmered dark and smooth, new in every sense of the word.

Upon its face was no longer a digital screen, but an analogue one, hands set into a beautiful twisting pattern, already preset to California's time, and above the anchor of the timepiece, was a small round digital window, edges marked with twenty slots, all of which were blank, decorated with a pattern reminiscing of that of three angel wings. The background was coloured a subtle blank grey.

Its meaning was unmistakable.

A promise...

One that he intended to keep.

In four years time...

They would meet again.

* * *

><p>AN: Aaaaaand that's all folks! Thank you for your patronage! This has been awesome fun to write.

A big thank you to Jahan, who had been patient with me all this time. Betaing while he's doing his post-grads right now. Legend mate! Go read his Persona 4 review for the PALGN Australian review company! Link on my profile page.

Another huuuuuge thanks to Bukala who took precious time from his day to beta this fic and tutor a noob like me in the art of fine-writing. Thank you!

Another big thank you to Kharta, who not only drew me a pretty title page for the fic, but also agreed to take on the challenge to illustrate this fic into a dounjishi! So far only 2 chapters have been agreed upon for creation. If you're interested watch his Dev Art linked to my profile page.

Now, let's discuss sequel.

I know this has high sequel potential, and I even have a good idea where I want to take it if I tried.

BUT

I have a bit of a moral code.

See I grew up watching Disney, and having seen many a cartoons utterly butchered by horrible sequels. I have grown to loathe the concept.

I will say now that the status of a sequel is pending "maybe" edging towards "unlikely". I would only press forward if I am ABSOLUTELY certain I got a story.

I don't do drabbles...I only do epic yarns.

But if you can't get enough keep an eye on the doujinshi. If Kharta doesn't find working with me too unpleasant he might continue after two chapters. But of course the best way to ensure he continues is emotional blackmail.

If you cheer him on he'll be my art-slave forever- I mean, he might finish the doujinshi...

**Did you notice?** I had planned a patterned structure for this fic.

Some people have wondered about my strict updating system, but the truth of the matter is...

As it started on the 20th of May 2011 this is now the 2nd of March 2012 all together it took exactly 39 weeks to finish posting up every chapter. This was due to posting the 2nd chapter one week early.

In total I wrote 21 chapters. The segments of the story divided into 3 equal parts.

7 build up chapters.

7 past chapters.

7 conclusion chapters.

Each segment averaging 13 weeks to play out.

And if you count every line in the little rhymes I put before every chapter they equal to 42 lines. If you understand how 42 ties into fate and fortune then amen geek brother! ;D

A cultural Easter egg placed in this fic is the number of years they were apart. I had mentioned that the number 4 is unlucky in Japanese beliefs, but strangely enough they consider the number 8 lucky. Divine fortune if you will.

Basically double the misfortune will bless you with divine fortune. Really makes you think.

Disclaimer: I do not own Persona. If I did, this wouldn't be just a fic.


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